Early on the i6th, we were clofe to the ihore of the iiland of Huaheine j But*,
meeting with no fafe place to anchor in, we doubled the point, and went to the
N. W., fide of the iiland* where we-anchored, in a pretty little bay, clofe by the
fliore in eleven fathom-, water the, water, was very fmooth^and the banks ihoaled
fo fteep, that we might have rid fafe within forty yards off the fe re . Several
canoes came off to us as we failed along the coaii, and fome of the natives came
on board;, amongft whom was a king, who was the firif that adventured to come
up the ihip’s fide,.and he approached it trembling. Toobaiahconverfed with them
very freely*.
This country affords a more pleaimg profpedf than Otaheite, Being more pic—
turefque.. Some of the hills are very high ; and, from this bay,, we can fee the
iflands Yoolee-Etea,' Otahau, and Bolabola; which, laff appears, like a hill o f a?
conical form, forked at the top. Before the bay, and a good way farther on, runs,
a reef whichcopens at the two-ends, but Has no opening in the front.. The Captain*.
Toobaiah,. and.fome others*, went on fe re -with» the aree, or king j and', as foon
as he landed, he immediately, repaired to an adjacent morai,.and returned thanks-
to Tane for his fafe paffage,. whom he prefented with two handkerchiefs,. and fome
other trifles ; ; and,, to the furgeon who aflifled him, he prefented a hog.
Oh the 1.7th,. feveraf.of the Inhabitants came on board; and brought with them-
fome cocoa-nuts 5, and one of them, a friend of mine from Otaheite, brought a
baiket of pafte or pudding, baked: in* bread-fruit leaves, which was made of the.
roots, of Taro and cocoa-nuts: they call it Etao.o,.; and .it taftes very much like thence
of Otaheite, and is very goocLfoodv The cuftom of changing names prevails
much in/this, iiland*. and.is deemed, a.mark.of great.friendihip.
During the fe r t time.we were upon the coaff of this iffand', we purcHafed
twenty-four hogs and pigs, befides fowls* fruits, and. roots, at reafonable rates.;*
But they; raifed. the price of. their, commodities before, we. left them.-
This iiland, the extent o f which we had not time to learn, is confiderably longer
than broad; and,, to all appearance, very fruitful in cocoas* bread-fruit, plantains*,
and eatable-roots, fuch as taro; eape*. and the fweet potatoe; Thefe robts, with,
different forts of pafte, are their principal food when there is- no bread-fruitr.
They have a plenty of cattle-fiih-, but notfo many of other kinds as* are. to be founds
at Otaheite. Their clothrtree is planted very neatly, and cultivated with great
care; having drains made through the beds- of earth to draw off the water ;, and ther
fides neatly built up with ftones and* in the drains, - they plant the arum which
yields the yam they call Taro*.
We found great quantities of' a baftard fort off ihagreen upon the iiland, and«
many pearls of an indifferent fort*.
The natives of this iiland are not o f fucR a'dark complexion as thoie of OtaKeite;.
and the other neighbouring iflands ^ and the women are, in general, , as handfome,.
and- nearly off the fame colour*, as Europeans; [fee pi. VIII. fig. 3 and 4,.] from*
which we may draw a reafon for the name of this pretty iiland j[j which I leffe
regretting, that I did not-fee more of it.
Oh the 19th, in the afternoon, we let faff for Yoolee-Etea:, and the next morn-**-
ing, being., the 20th, we caft anchor in a bay, which is formed by a: reef, on the:
north fide of this iflar.cL Two canoes-of people came to us from-the fere; ancE
brought with them two fmall hogs; they took but littlemotice of us, and'-expreiTed:
as little furprize at any thing they faw- The captain went on fe r e and'took pof-
feffion o f,the iiland for the king ;. he faw but few inhabitants, and fcarce any off
diftinguiihed rank amongft them... They behaved fo coolly that the. captain* did:*
not know what to make of them. Toobaiah, who was with him, feemed to be;
quite difpleafech We did not know the oecafion of their refervednefsbut conj.ec--
Sured that the Bolobola people had been amongft thenr.
Huaheine; the n^me of. this.iilan(j*.means--alfo a .\vife^