C H A P . X.
‘The A rriva l o f the Ships at Otaheite, with an Account o f
the critical Situation they were in, and o f feveral Incidents
that happened while they lay in Oaiti piba Bay.
Au77aii ij'th, at five o’clock in the morning, we faw Of-
'— --- ' ^ naburg Ifland, or Maitea, difcovered by Captain Wallis. ounday 15. J *■ '
bearing S. by W. 4 W. Soon after I brought to," and waited
for the Adventure to come up with us, to acquaint Captain
Furneaux, that it was my intention to put into Oaiti-piha Bay,
near the S. E. end of Otaheite, in order to get what refrefh-
ments we could from that part of the ifland, before we went
down to Matavai. This done, we made fail, and at fix in the
evening faw the ifland bearing Weft. We continued toftand
on till midnight, when we brought to, till four o’clock in the
morning; and then made fail in for the land with a fine
breeze at Eaft.
Monday iS. At day-break, we found ourfelves not more than half a
league from the reef. The breeze now began to fail us, and
at laft fell to a calm. This made it neceflary to hoift out our
boats to tow the Chips off; but all their efforts were not fuf-
ficient to keep them from being carried near the reef. A
number of the inhabitants came off in canoes from different
parts, bringing with them a little fifh, a few cocoa-nuts, and
other fruits, which they exchanged for nails, beads, &c. The
moft of them knew me again; and many enquired for Mr.
Banks and others who were with me before; but not one
afked for Tupia. As the calm continued, our fituation became
AND ROUND THE WORLD. l45
came flill more dangerous. We were, however, not without '773-
hopes of getting round the weftern point of the reef and ■ Aa&M-
into the bay, till about two o’clock in the afternoon, when Monda* '6-
we came before an opening or break in the reef, through
which I hoped to get with the Chips. But on fending to
examine it, I found there was not a fufficient depth of water;
though it caufed fuch an indraught of the tide of flood,
through it, as was very near proving fatal to the Refolution ;
for as foon as the fhips got into this ftream, they were carried
with great impetuofity towards the reef. The moment
I perceived this, I ordered one of the warping machines,
which we had in readinefs, to be carried out with about
four hundred fathoms of rope ; but it had not the leaft effect.
The horrors of ihipwreck now flared us in the face. We
were not more than two cables length from the breakers ;
and yet we could find no bottom to anchor, the only probable
means we had left to fave the fhips. We, however,
dropped an anchor; but, before it took hold, and brought us
up, the fhip was in lefs than three fathoms water, and ftruck
at every fall of the fea, which broke clofe under our ftern in
a dreadful furf, and threatened us every moment with fhip-
wreck. The Adventure, very luckily, brought up clofe upon
our bow without ftriking.
We prefently carried out two kedge anchors, with hawfers
to each. Thefe found ground a little without the bower,
but in what depth we never knew. By heaving upon them,
and cutting away the bower anchor, we got the fhip a-float,
where we lay fome time in the greateft anxiety, expecting
every minute that either the kedges would corné home,
or the hawfers be cut in two by the rocks. At length the:
tide ceafed to atft in the fame direction. I ordered all the
boats to try to tow off the Refolution ; and when I faw this was
' r°L- I U practicable,