nences and vallies, bore a verdant and fertile appearance. It feemed to be
well inhabited; in a high ftate o f cultivation, and prefented hot only a
rich but a romantic profpeft. T o the weft ward of thefe cliffs, the fhores
terminated in the former direftion, by a low point 6f land, called by the
native's Crynoa, and from thenCe they ftretch N . 85 w . 8 leagues to the
weft point o f the ifland. From Crynoa the country affumes a dreary
afpeft. The mountains, forming the eaftern pa rt'of the ifland, gradually
defcend to the weftward, and like thofe o f Mowee, terminate on a
low ifthmus,-which appears to divide the ifland into two peninfulas; Thefe
however bear no proportion to each other; the eafternmoft, which is1 far
the largeft, is compofed o f very high land, but the wefternmoft does not
rife to any elevation, beyond that o f a mean height. The country from
Crynoa rifes from the fea by an afcent, uninterrupted with chafms, hills,
or vallies. This uniform furface, on advancing to the weftward, exhibited
a gradual decreafe in the population ; it difcovered an uncultivated
barren foil, and a traft o f land that gave refidence only rto a few of the
lower orders o f the iflanders, who refort to the fhores for the' purpofe
o f taking filh, with which they abound. Thofe fo employed are obliged
to fetch their frefh water from a great diftance ; none but what is brack-
ifh being attainable on the weftern parts of Morotoi: This inforrrfation
I had before gained from feveral chiefs at Mowee, and was now confirmed
in it«by Tomohomoho, who was accompanying us to Woahoo; and who
alfo acquainted me, that along the fhores of this fouth fide, which ’are
chiefly compofed Of a Tandy beach, anchorage would be found on a clear
Tandy bottom. But as there were no projefting points for fhelter, I did
not think a further examination worth the time it would employ, and
therefore proceeded to the bay at the weft end of the ifland, for the purpofe
of feeing if, contrary to my former obfervations, it was commodious
for the refitting of veffels, as it had been reported. '
We paffed within about half a league of the weft point of the ifland,
fituated in latitude 21* & gd*. longitude 202° 43', with regular foundings
from 17 to 23 fathoms, Tandy: bottom. The N.w. point of the
ifland lies from the weft point N . 25 e . , at the diftance of 3 leagues; ' between
thefe two points a commodious bay had been ftated to exift;
whereas
whereas we found the whole intermediate fpace nearly a ftraight Ihore,
compofed alternately of rugged rocks and fandy beaches, 1---- ,---- '
The day being too far advanced for Handing over to Woahoo, we
flood to windward, and anchored for the night in 19 fathoms water,
fandy and bad holding ground; as the fliip would not ride with lefs than
a whole cable, although the- trade wind blew but a moderate breeze. In
working up, the foundings were pretty regular from 17 to 60 fathoms,
fine Tandy .bottom ; and where we' anchored, within about a mile, of the
breakers, the weft point o f the ifland bore by compafs fouth, diftant 4
miles; and the north-weft point n . 26 e . about the fame diftance. Our
fituation here was as clofe into Ihore as veffels can lie with fafety; this
fide of the ifland being intirely open, and expofed to the north and north-
weft winds, which blow frequently with great violence; and to a heavy
fea, that is almoft conftantly rolling from that quarter on the, ftiores; and,
which at that time broke with fo much fury, that it would have, been dangerous
to land even, in canoes, .
The country had the fame dreary and barren appearanqe as that noticed
on the fouth fide, and I was informed it was equally deftitute of water.
With .a light eafterly breeze, about fix o’clock on wednefday morning, Wednef. to.
we direfted our; courfe fo. as, to fail along the north fide'of Woahoo.
Tomohomoho objected to this mode of approach, faying, that the murder-
ers refided near Why Lecte bay, which would be the. beft ftation for us to
take; for that if we went to the other fide, he {hould have a great diftance
to go in fearch of them, by which means the offenders might get intelligence
of our errand, elcape into the mountains, and Titcci oc Would be
accufed o f .‘breaking his promife. There appeared fo much good fenfe
in .this precaution, and fo much earneftnefs in Tomohomoho to execute
the bufinefs entrufted to him, that I did not hefitate to yield to his
wilhes, and poftponed the examination of the north fide of the ifland
till our next v ifit; and we proceeded to Whyteete, where we anchored
about three o’clock, in 10 fathoms water, occupying nearly our former
ftation.
We were vifited by a few of the natives in fmall Angle canoes, -who
brought little or nothing to difpofe of. One double canoe only made its
D d 2 1 appearance.