On the North point, w h ich is flat and barren, ftands the
v illa g e o f Kowrowa 5 and in the bottom o f the b a y , near a
grove o f tall cocoa-nut trees, there is another v illa g e o f a more
confiderable fize, called Kakooa : between them, runs a h ig h
rock y cliff, inacceflible from the fea ihore. On the South
fide, the coaft, fo r about a mile inland, has a ru g g ed appearance
; beyond w h ich the country rifes with a g rad u al
afcent, and is overfpread w ith cultivated inclofures and
groves o f cocoa-nut trees, where' the habitations o f the natives
are fcattered in great numbers. T h e ihore, all round
the bay, is covered with a b la ck coral rock, w h ich makes
the landin g vepy dangerous in rou gh w ea th er ; except.at the
v illa g e o f Kakooa, where there is a fine fandy beach, w ith
a Morai, or burying-place, at one extremity, and a fmall
w e ll o f fre fh water, at the other. T h is ba y appearing to
Captain Cook a proper place to refit the fhips, and la y in an
additional fupply o f water and proyifions, w e moored on the
North fide, about a quarter o f a mile from the ihore, K ow rowa
bearing North Weft.
As foon as the inhabitants perceived our intention o f
anchoring in the 'bay , they came o f f from the ihore in afto-
n ifh ing numbers, and exprefled their jo y by fin g in g an d fh o u t-
in g, and exhibiting a variety o f wild and e xtravagant geftures.
T h e fides, the decks, and r ig g in g o f both fhips were foon
completely covered with them ; and a multitude o f women
and boys, who had not been able to get canoes, came fwim-
m in g round us in fhoals ; many o f whom, not finding room
on board, remained the whole day p la y in g in the water.
Among the chiefs who came on board the Refolution,
w as a youn g man, called Pareea, whom we foon perceived
to be ape rfon o f great authority. On prefenting h im fe lf to
2 Captain
Captain Cook, he told him, that he w a s Jakanec * to the k in g >779-
o f the ifland, who was at that time eng ag ed on a military > ‘ r
expedition at Mowee, and was expected to return with in
three or fo u r days. A few prefents from Captain Cook
attached h im entirely to our interefts, and he became e xT
ce ed in g ly u fe fu l to us in the management o f his countrymen,
as w e had foon occafion to experience. For w e had
not been lo n g at anchor, when it was obferved that the
Difcovery had fu ch a n umbe r o f people h a n g in g on one
fide, as occafioned her to he e l con fid e rab ly ; and that the
men were un ab le to ke ep o ff the crowds w h ich continued
prefling into her. Captain Cook, b e in g apprehenfive that
Ihe m igh t fuffer fome in ju ry , pointed out the danger to
Pareea, w ho immediately went to their afliftance, cleared
the fhip o f its incumbrances, and drove aw a y the canoes
that furrounded her.
T h e authority o f the chiefs over the in fe rio r people appeared,
from this incident, to be o f the moft defpotic kind»
A fimilar inftance o f it happened the fame day on board the
R e folu tion ; where the crowd be in g fo great, as to impede
the neceflary bufinefs o f the fhip, we were obliged to h a v e '
recourfe to the afliftance o f Kaneena, another o f their chiefs,
w ho had likewife attached h im fe lf to Captain Cook. T he
inconvenience we laboured under b e in g made known, he
immediately ordered his countrymen to quit the v e fle l; and
w e w ere not a little furprized to fee them jum p overboard,
w ithou t a moment’s hefitation ; all except one man, who
loitering behind, and fh ew in g fome unwillin gn efs to obey,
* W e afterward met with feveral others o f the fame denomination ; but whether it
be an office, or fome degree of affinity, we could never learn with certainty.
B 2 I Kaneena