General Account o f the Sandwich Ifan d s .— Their Number,
Names, a n d Situation.— O w h y h e e .——Its E x ten t, and
Divifion into D i j lr i& s .— Account o f its Coafls, and the
adjacent Country.— Volcanic Appearances, — Snowy
Mountains.— Their H e ig ht determined.— Account o f a
Journey into the interior P a r ts o f the Country.— Mo w e e ,
— T a h o o r o w a . — M o r o t o i . — R a n a i . — W o a h o o .—
A t o o i .— O n e e h e o w .— O r e e h o u a .— T a h o o r a .— C limate.—
W in d s .— Currents.— Tides.— Animals and V e getables.—
AJlronomical Obfervations.
A S we are n ow about to take our final leave o f the Sandw
ich Iflands, it w ill not be improper to introduce
he re fome general account o f their fituation and natural
hiftory, and o f the manners and cuftoms o f the inhabitants.
T h is fubjetft has indeed been, in fome meafure, preoccupied
by perfons fa r more capable o f d o in g it juftice,
than I can pretend to be. Had Captain Cook and Mr. An-
derfon lived, to avail themfelves o f the advantages w hich
w e enjoyed by a return to thefe iflands, it cannot be quef-
tioned, that the Public would have derived much additional
information from the fk ill and diligence o f two fuch accurate
obfervers. T he reader w ill therefore lament w ith me
our common misfortune, w h ich hath deprived h im o f the la bours
o f fuch fuperior abilities, and impofed on me the talk
o f prefenting him with the beft fupplementary account the
various duties o f my fiation permitted me to furniih.
Th is
T h is grou p confifts o f eleven iflands, extending in ia ti-
tu d e fr om i8° 54' to 23° 1 5 'N o r th ; and in longitude from v.— _i ©
199° 36' to 205° 0 6 ' Eaft. T h e y are called b y the natives;
t. Owhyhee. 2. Mowee. 3. Ranai, or Oranai. 4. Moro-
tinnee, or Morokinnee. 5. Kahowrowee, or Tahoorowa.
6. Morotoi, or Morokoi. 7. Woahoo, or Oahoo. 8. Atooi,
Atowi, or T ow i, and fometimes K ow i *. 9. Neeheehow,
or O neeheow. 10. Oreehoua, or R e eh ou a ; and, 11. T ah oora;
and are a ll inhabited, excepting Morotinnee and Tahoora,
Befides the iflands above enumerated, w e were told b y the
Indians, that there is another called Modoopapapaj-, or Ko-
modoopapapa, ly in g to the Weft South Weft o f Tahoora,
w h ich is low and fandy, and vifited on ly fo r the purpofe o f
ca tch in g turtle and fe a - fow l; and, as I could never learn
that they k n ew o f any others, it is probable that none exift •
in their neighbourhood.
T h e y w ere named b y C aptain Cook the Sandwich IJlands, in
honour o f the E a r l o f S a n d w i c h , under whofe adminiftra-
tion he had enriched geo grap hy w ith fo many fplendid and
important difcoveries s a tribute ju ftly due to that noble
perfon for the lib e ra l fupport thefe voyages derived from
his power, in whatever could extend their utility, or promote
their fu c c e fs ; fo r the zea l w ith w h ich he feconded
the views o f that great n a v ig a to r ; and, i f I m a y be allowed
to add the voice o f private gratitude, fo r the generous protection,
w hich, fince the death o f their unfortunate commander,
he has afforded all the officers, that ferved under him.
Owhyhee, the Eafternmoft, and b y much the largeft, o f
thefe iflands, is o f a triangular fhape, and n early equilate-
* It is to be obferved, that, among the windward Iflands, the k is ufed initead
of the /, as Morokoi inftead o f Morotoi, &c,
t Modoo lignifies ifland j papapai flat. This ifland is called Tammatapappa» by
Captain Cook, vol. II. p. 222.
ral.