1777- der that furrounds the greateft part o f it, toward the fea'.
O f to b e r . ° r
Eimeo, on the contrary, h a s hills runn in g in different directions,
w hich, are ve ry fteep and ru gg ed , leaving, in
the interfpaces, ve ry la rge valleys, and gently - r ifin g
grounds about their fides. T h e fe hills, though o f a ro ck y
difpofition, j are, in general, covered, almoft to their tops,
w ith trees ; but the lower parts, on the fides, freq u en tly
only with fern. At the bottom o f the harbour, where we
la y , the groun d rifes g en tly to the foot o f the hills w h ic h
run acrofs nearly in the middle o f the iflan d ; but its flat
border, on each fide, at a very fmall diftance from the fea,.
becomes quite fteep. T h is gives it a romantic caft, w h ich
renders it a profpeft fuperior to any thing we. law at Ota-
heite. T h e foil, about the low grounds, is a yellowifh and
pretty ftiff m o u ld ; but, upon the lower hills, it is bla cker
and more lo o fe : and the ftone that compofes the hills is,,
w hen broken, o f a blueiih colour,, but not ve ry .compacft
texture, with fome particles o f glimmer interfperfed. The fe
particulars feem worthy o f obfervation. Perhaps the reader
w ill think differently o f m y judgmen t, when I add, that,
near the ftatioh o f our fhips, were two large ftones, or rather
rocks, concerning which- the natives have fo'me fu p e r -
ftitiou s. notions. T h e y confider them as Eatooas, or D iv inities
; faying, that they are brother and fifter, and that th e y
came, b y fome fupernatur-al means,, from. Ulietea.
C H A P -
C H A P . VI.
A r r iv a l at Huaheine.— Council o f the Chiefs.— Omais
Offerings, and Speech to the Chiefs.— H is EJlabliJh-
ment in this I f and agreed to.—-A Houfe built, and
Garden planted fo r him.— Singularity of his Situation.
— Meafures taken to infure his Safety.— Damage done
by Cock-roaches on board the Ships.— A Thief detebled
and punijhed.— Fir e-works j exhibited.— Animals left
with Omai.— His Family.— TVeapons.— Infcription on
his Houfe.— H is Behaviour on the Ship's leaving the
Ifland.— Summary View o f his ConduEl and Char abler.
— Account o f the two New Z,ealand Youths.
HA V IN G le ft Eimeo, w ith a g en tle breeze and fine nW -
- weather, at day-break, the next morning, w e faw
Huaheine, extending from South Weft by Weft, h a lf Weft,
to Weft b y North. At noon, w e anchored at the North entrance
o f Owharre harbour *, w h ich is on the Weft fide o f
the ifland. T h e whole afternoon was fpent in warping
the fhips into a proper birth, and mooring. Omai entered
the harbour juft before us, in his canoe, but did not land.
Nor did he take much notice o f any o f his countrymen,
though many crowded to fee h im ; but fa r more o f them
came o ff to the fhips, infomuch that we could hardly
work on account o f their nCtmberst Our paflengers pre-
* See a plan o f this harbour in Hawkefworth’s Collection, V o l. ii. p. 248.
N 3 fently
O â o b e r»
S u n d a y 1 2 .