*779* to, in order to furnifh an opportunity to the natives, o f
^January. ^ tratjjng w ith us. T h e y fometimes came on board, while wef
were five leagues from the lhore. But, whether from a
fear o f lofing their goods in the fea, or from the uncertainty
o f a market, they never brought much with them. The
principal article procured was fait, which was extremely
good.
Friday 5. ° n W® *n t^le m o r n ® & we palled the South point o f
the ifland, which lies in the latitude o f 18° 5 4 '; and beyond
it w e found the coaft to trend North, 60* Weft. On this
•point ftands a pretty large village, the inhabitants Of w hich
thronged o ff to the ihip with hogs and women. It was not
poflible to keep the latter from coining on board; and no
women, I ever met with, were lefs referved. Indeed, it appeared
to me, that they vifited us wijh-ae-e ther-viewf than
to make a furrender o f their perfons. As I had now got a
quantity o f fait, I purchafed no hogs but fuch as were fit
fo r falting; refufing all that were under fize. However, we
could feldom get any above fifty or fixty pounds weight.
It was happy for us, that we had ftill fome vegetables on
board; fo r w e now received few fuch productions. Indeed,
this part o f the country, from its appearance, did not feem
capable o f affording them. Marks o f its having been laid
wafte by the explofion o f a volcano, every where prefented
themfelve s; and though we had, as yet, feen nothing like
one upon the ifland, the devaftation that it had made, in
this neighbourhood, was vifible to the naked eye.
T h is part o f the coaft is iheltered from the reigning winds;
but we could find no bottom to anchor u p o n ; a line o f an
hundred and fixty fathoms not reaching it, within the dif-
itance o f h a lf a mile from the ihore. The iilanders having
all
all left us, toward the evening, we ran a few miles down ,J779-
. J an u a ry .
the coaft ; and then fpent the night Handing off and on. v .---- »
The next morning, the natives vifited us again, brin gin g W ed n e f. 6 .
with them the fame articles o f commerce as before. Being
now near the ihore,* I fent Mr. Bligh, the Matter, in a boat,
to found the coaft, with orders to land, and to look for frefh
water. Upon his return, he reported, that, at two cables
lengths from the ihore, he had found no foundings with a
line o f one hundred and fixty fathoms; that, when he
landed, he found no ftream or fpring, but only rain-water,
depofited in holes upon the ro ck s ; and even that was
brackifh, from the fpray o f the fe a ; and that the furface o f
the country was entirely compofed o f flags and aihes, with
a few plants here and there interfperfed. Between ten and
eleven, we f»w with pleafure the Difcovery coming round
the South point o f the ifland ; and/rrt one in the afternoon,
ihe joined us. Captain Clerke then coming on board, informed
me, that he had cruifed four or five days where we
were feparated, and then plied round the Eaft fide o f the
iflan d ; but that, meeting with unfavourable winds, he had
been carried to fome diftance from the coaft. He had one
o f the iilanders on board, all this t im e ; who had remained
there from choice, and had refufed to quit the ihip, though
opportunities had offered.
Having fpent the night Handing off" and on, we flood Thurfdayy.
in again the next morning, and when we were about a
league from the ihore, many o f the natives vifited us. At
noon, the obferved latitude was 19’ 1 , and the longitude,
by the time-keeper, was 203° 26'; the ifland extending from
South, 740 Eaft, to North, 13* Weft; the neareft part two
leagues diftant.