i '77^ Poonohoo. It runs in South, or South b y Eaft, between
septem ^ }11j]S) above two miles. For fecurity, and goodnefs o fits
bottom, it is not inferior to any harbour that I have met
w i th at any o f the iilands in this ocean,; and it has this advantage
over moil o f them, that a ihip can fail in and out,
w i th the re ign in g trade wind ; fo that the accefs and recefs
are equ ally eafy. The re are feveral rivulets that fall into it.
T h e one, at the head, is fo coniiderable as to admit boats to
g o a quarter o f a mile up, where we found the water per-
fed lly frefh. Its banks aré covered with the pooroo tree, as
it is called by the natives, w h ich makes good firing, and
w h ich they fet no value upon ; fo that wood and water are«
to be got here w ith great facility.
On the fame fide o f the iiland, and about two miles to
the Eaftward, is the harbour o f Parowroah, much larger
w ith in than that o f Taloo ; but the entrance, or opening in
the re e f (for the whole iiland is furròunded by a re e f o f
coral rock) is confiderably narrower, and lies to leeward o f
the harbour. T he fe two defedls are fo firiking, that the
harbour o f Taloo m u ll always have a decided preference.
It is a little. extraordinary, that I ihould have been three
times at Otaheite before, and have once fent a boat to
Eimeo, and yet not know, till now, that there was a harbour
in it. On the contrary, I always underilood, there was
not. Whereas, there are net only the two above mentioned,
bu t one or two more, on the South fide o f the iiland. But
thefe laft are not fo confiderable as the two we h a v e ju ll defended,
and o f which a Iketch has been made for the ufe
o f .thofe who may fo llow us in fuch a voyage.
We had no fooner anchored, than the fhips were crowded
with the inhabitants, whom curiofity alone brought on
board ;
bo ard ; fo r they had nothing with them for the purpofes o f *777- »
, . , „ . r e Oaobcr.
barter. But, the next morning, this deficiency was fup- i ■
plied ; feveral canoes then arriving from more diftant parts, . ** ’ *'
which brought w ith them abundance o f bread-fruit, cocoanuts,
and a few hogs. Thefe they exchanged for hatchets,
nails, and beads ; fo r red feathers were not fo much fought
after here as at Otaheite. T h e ihip being a good deal peftered
w ith rats, I hauled her within thirty yards o f the ihore,
as near as the depth o f water wou ld allow, and made
a path for them to ge t to the land, b y fattening hawfers to
the trees. It- is faid, that this experiment has fometimes
fucce eded; but, I believe, w e got clear o f ve ry few , i f any,
o f the numerous tribe that haunted us.
In the morning o f the 2d, Maheine, the C h ie f o f the Thurfdayz.
iiland, paid me a vifit. He approached the ihip w ith great
caution, and it required fome perfuafion to get him on
board. Probably, he was under fome apprehenfions o f mif-
ch ie f .frqm us, as friends o f the O tahe iteans; thefe people,
not b eing able to comprehend, how we can be friends with
any one, without adopting, at the fame time, his caufe
againft his enemies. Maheine was accompanied by his
w ife , who, as I was informed, is filler to O amo, o f Otaheite,
o f whofe death we had an account, while w e were at this
iiland. I made prefents to both o f them, o f fuch things as
they feemed to fet the higheft value upon ; and after a flay
o f about h a lf an hour, they went away. Not long after,
they returned with a large hog, which they meant as a return
for my p re fen t; but I made them another prefent to
the fu ll value o f it. A fte r this, they paid a vifit to Captain
Clerke.
This Chief, who, with a few followers, has made himfelf,
in a manner, independent o f Otaheite, is between forty and
V o L - IL M • f i f t y