C H A P . X.
Seme IJlands difcovered.— Account o f the Natives o f
Atooi, who cotne off to the Ships, and their Behaviour
on going on board.— One o f them hilled.— Precautions
ufed to prevent Intercourfe with the Females.— A watering
place found.— Reception upon landing.— Excur-
Jion into the Country.— A M oraivifted and defcribed.—
Graves o f the Chiefs, and o f the human Sacrifices, there
buried.— Another I f and, called Oneeheawvifited.— Ceremonies
performed by the Natives, who go off to the
Ships.— Reafons fo r believing that they are Cannibals.—
A Party fent afhore, who remain two Nights.— Account
o f what paffed on landing.-— The Ships leave the IJlands,
and proceed to the North.
ON the 2d o f January, at day-break, we weighed anchor,
and refumed our courfe to the North ; having fine
weather, and a gentle breeze at Eaft, and Eaft South Eaft,
till we got into the latitude o f 7° 45' North, and the lo n g itude
o f 205° Eaft, where we had one calm day. This was
fucceeded by a North Eaft by Eaft, and Eaft North Eaft wind.
At firft it b lew faint, but frefhened as w e advanced to the
North. We continued to fee birds eve ry day, o f the forts
laft mentioned; fometimes in greater numbers than others;
and between the latitude o f 10° and 11°, w e faw feveral
turtle. A ll thefe are looked upon as ,figns o f the vicinity o f
j land.
land. However, we difcovered none till day-break, in the »77« -
morning o f the 18th, when an iiland made its appearance, 1— -v—
bearing North Eaft b y E a ft ; and, foon after, we faw- more Simdai'
land bearing'North, and entirely detached from the former. '
Both bad the appearance o f being h igh land. At noon, the
firft bore North Eaft b y Eaft, h a lf Eaft, b y eftimation about
eight or nine leagues di ftant; and an elevated hill, near the
Eaft end o f the other, bore North, h a lf Weft. Our latitude,
at this time, was 210 12', No rth; and longitude 200° 41', .
Eaft. We had now ligh t airs and calms, b y tu rn s ; fo that,
at funfet, w e were not lefs than nine or ten leagues from
the neareft land.
^ t h e 19th, at fun-rife, the iiland firft feen, bore Eaft, fe- Monday
veral leagues diftant. This b e in g d ir e itly to windward,
w hich prevented our ge ttin g near it, I flood for the other,
w hich w e could reach ; and, not lo n g after, difcovered a
third iiland in the direction o f Weft North Weft, as fa r diftant
as land could be feen. W e had now a fine breeze at
Eaft by. North ; and I fleered for the Eaft end o f the fecond
iiland ; which, at noon, extended from North, h a lf Eaft, to
Weft North Weft, a quarter Weft, the neareft part b e in g
about two leagu es diftant. At this time, w e were in fome
doubt whether or no the land before us was in hab ited ;
but thig doubt was foon cleared up, by feeing fome canoes
coming o ff from the ihore, toward the fhips. I immediately
brought to, to giv e them time- to join us. T h e y had
from three to fix men each ; and, on their approach, we
were a greeably furprized to find, that they fpoke the langu
a g e o f Otaheite, and o f the other iflands we had lately
vifited. It required but very little addrefs, to ge t them to
come a lon g-fid e ; but no intreaties could prevail upon any
o f them to come on board. I tied fome brafs medals to a
rope,