3i 6 a v o y a g e t o w a r d s t h e SOUTH p o l e ,
April'. but beins t0 windward we could not fetch it. Soon after a-
third appeared, bearing S_ W. by S., for which we fleered,
and at two o’clock.P. M„ reached the Eaft end, which is
fituated in latitude i y° 47' South, longitude 146° 30' Weft
This ifland extends W. N. W. and E. S. E., and is feven
leagues long in that direction; but ks breadth is not above
two. It is, in all refpecls, like the reft.; only here.are fewer-
iflots, and lefs firm land on the reef which inclofeth the lake
As we ranged the North coaft, at the diftance of half a. mile!,
we faw people, huts, canoes, and places built, feemingly*
for drying of fifli. They feemed to be the fame fort of
people as on Ti-oo-kea, and were armed with long fpikes-
like them.. Drawing near the weft end we difcovered another
or fourth ifland, bearing N. N..E. It feemed to be low
like the others, and lies weft from the. fiift ifle, diftant fix.
leagues. Thefe four ifles I.called Pallifer’s Ifles, in honour of
my worthy friend Sir Hugh Pallifer, at.this time, comptroller
of the navy...
Not chufihg to run farther in the dark, we fpent the night
Wednef. 20. making fhort boards under the top-fail, and on the 20th
at day-break, hauled round the Weft end of the third hie '
which was no fooner done than we found a great fwell’
rohmg in from the South; a fure fign that we were clear of
thefe low lflands; and. as we faw no more land, I fleered
S. W.4S. for Otaheite; having the advantage of a flout gale
at Eaft, attended with fhowers of rain. It cannot be determined
with any degree of certainty whether the group of
ifles we had lately feen, be. any of thofe difcovered by the
Dutch navigators» or no ; the fituation of their .difcoveries
not being handed, down to us,with fufficient accuracy It
is however necefiary toobferve, that this part of the Ocean;
that
that is from the latitude of 20° down to 140 or -120, and from 17.7+.
the meridian of 138° to 148° or 150°-Weft, is To ftrewed with «——
rhefe low ifles, that a navigator cannot proceed with too e ner' 2°‘
much caution.
We made the high land of1 Otaheite on the sift,' and'at TinrHay 2I,
noon were about thirteen leagues Eaft of Point Venus, for
which we fleered; and got pretty well in with it by fun-fet,
when wefhortened fail'; and having fpent the night, which'
was Equally-with rain, Handing on and oif, at eight o’clock
the next morning anchored in Matavai Bay in feven fathoms Friday 22.
water. This-was no fooner known to the natives than manV
of them made us a vifit, and "exprefled not a little joy at
feeing us again.
As my chief reafon for putting in at this place was to give;
Mr. Wales an opportunity to know-the error of the watch-
by the known longitude, and to determine anew her rate of
going, the firft thing we did was to land his inftruments,
and to eredf tents for the reception of a- guard and fuch
other people as it was neceflary to have on fliore. Sick we
had none ; the refreftiments • we got at the Marquefas had
removed every complaint of that kind.
On the 23d, fliowery weather.. . Our very good friends the,-Saturday 23.
natives fupplied us with fruit-and filh fufficient for the-whole-
crew.
On the 24th,. Otoo the king,' and feveral other-chieifsj 'Sanday 2+i
with a train of attendants, paid us a vifit, and brought as
prefents ten or a dozen large hogs, befides fruits; which f
made them exceedingly'welcome. I -was advertifed of the -
king’s coming, and looked upon it as a good omen. Knowing-
how much it was my inrereft to make this man my friend,
I met