Eaft end of the other, being directed by a great light we faw
upon it.
At one o’clock the next morning, drawing near the Ihore,
we tacked, and fpent the remainder of thé night making
fhort boards. At fun-rife we difcovered a high table land
Can illand) bearing E. by S., and a fmall low ifle in the direction
of N. N. E., which we had palfed in the night without
feeing it. Traitor’s Head was ftill in fight, bearing N.
20° Weft, diftant fifteen leagues, and the illand to the South
extended from S. 7° Weft to S. 87° Weft, diftant three or four
miles. We then found that the light we had feen in the
night, was occafioned by a volcano, which we obferved to
throw up vaft quantities of fire and fmoke, with a rumbling
noife heard at a great diftance. We now made fail for
the illand; and, prefently after, difcovered a fmall inlet
which had the appearance o f being a good harbour. In order
to be better informed, I fent away two armed boats, under
the command ó f Lieutenant Cooper, to found i t ; and, in
the mean while, we Hood on and olf with the Ihip, to be
ready to follow, or give them any afliftance they might want.
On the Eaft point of the entrance, we obferved a number of
people, and feveral houfes and canoes; and when our boats
entered the harbour they launched fome, and followed them,
but came not near. It was not long before Mr. Cooper made
the fignal for anchorage; and we flood in with the Ihip.
The wind being at Weft, and our courfe S. S. W., we borrowed
clofe to the Weft point, and palfed over fome funken
rocks, which might have been avoided by keeping a little
more to the Eaft, or about one-third channel over. The wind
left us as foon as we were Within the entrance, and obliged
us to drop an anchor in four fathoms water. After this, the
boats
boats were fent again to found; and, in the mean time, the
launch was hoifted out, in order to carry out anchors to warp o-j—.—-
in by, as foon as we Ihould be acquainted with the channel.
While we were thus employed, many of the natives got
together in parties, on feveral parts of the Ihore, all armed
with bows, fpears, &c. Some fwam off to us, others came
in canoes. At firft they were Ihy, and kept at the diftance
of a ftone’s throw; they grew infenfibly bolder; and, it
laft, came under our ftern, and made fome exchanges. The
people in one of the firft canoes, after coming as near as
they durft, threw towards us fome cocoa-nuts. I went into
a boat and picked them up, giving them in return fome
cloth and other articles. This induced others to come under
the ftern, and along-fide, where their behaviour was in-
folent and daring. They wanted to carry off every thing
within their reach; they got hold o f the fly o f the enfign, and
would have torn it from the ftaff; others attempted to knock
the rings off the rudder; but the greateft trouble they gave
us was to look after the buoys of our anchors, which were
no fooner thrown out of the boats, or let go from the Ihip,
than they got hold of them. A few mufquets fired in the
air had no effCdt; but a four-pounder frightened them fo
much, that they quitted their canoes that inftant, and took
to the Water. But as foon as they 'found themfelves unhurt,
they got again into their canoes ; gave us fome halloos;
flourifhed their weapons; and returned once more to the
buoys. This put us to the expence of a few mufquetoon
llidt, which had the defired effeCL ; Although none were
hurt, they were afterwards afraid to come near the buoys ;
'very foon all retired on Ihore ; and we were permitted to fit
down to dinner undifturbed.
H 2 During