1787. we came to with the belt bower, in eight and a half fathom water,
September. over a fancjy bottom interfperfed with rocks. The extremes of the
bay bore from South 80 deg. Eaft, to South 68 deg. Weft, about
two miles diftant from fhore.
Our intention was to ftay here no longer than was neceflary to
procure wood and water, as we knew from fad experience that it
was fcarcely poflible to lay here for any length of time without
injuring our cables, not only on account of the foul bottom, but
from the heavy fwell conftantly fetting into the bay at South
Eaft.
There was feveral canoes along-fide, fome of which we fent on
fhore for water; but few of the people brought any, faying that
every thing was tabooed.
During the afternoon our people were employed in fetting up
the rigging fore and aft. Towards the evening our vifitants were
pretty numerous, but they confifted chiefly of females who came
along-fide, expecting to get hufbands for the night, fo that though
We at prefent were reftriSted from neceflary articles, yet thofe who'
were difpofed to folace themfelves with the chearful Whahoo datn-
fels, had no reafon to repine. In the morning of the n th our
old friend the Prieft, with his ufual attendants, paid us a vifit.
From him we learnt that the King propofed paying us a vifit, before
the natives were allowed to furnifh us with water or provifions.
Accordingly, about noon Teereteere came on board, attended by a
number of Chiefs, and his nephew Myaro, whofe fhape and figure
I had fo greatly admired when laft at this place. He was grown-
rather ftouter than when I faw him laft, but his fkin was covered
in feveral places with a kind of white fcurf," which at firft I imagined
gined to be the effed of his drinking ava. On afking him about *7*7^
it, he told me that it was a breaking out very common amongft (Jg,— 1
them ; and fo far from being occafioned by drinking ava, that it
was a crime for fo young a perfon as himfelf to touch it.
The King brought a fine hog and fome cocoa-nuts as a prefent:
but it was evident that he meant to regulate his conduft towards-
us by the reception we gave him, and that we might expect our
wants fupplied in proportion as he approved of our prefents : he
enquired repeatedly after Captain Portlock, and appealed very anxious
to fee him. Myaro, and feveral of the Chiefs afked after Pia-
pia, and feemed well pleafed to hear of his being at Atoui.
After Teereteere had fatisfied his curiofity, and Captain Dixon
made him a prefent of fome toes and other trifling ai tides, he went
on fhore; and we prefently found the good effects of our bounty,
great numbers of the natives flocking to us with water, fo that by
fun-fet we had filled fourteen butts.
By day-light in the morning of the 12th, we were furroundedby
canoes full of water, fo that the remainder of our empty calks were-
prefently filled, and many of the poor Indians emptied their gourds
into the fea, when they found we had no oecafion for any more.
Our next objeft was to procure wood, which our friends no fooner
knew than they paddled away for the fhore, and in lefs than an
hour began to fupply us very brifkly. They alfo brought a great
quantity of fruit, fomewhat refembling a neffarine,, and which I
had not noticed when laft at this ifland: they eat very agreeably,
and are cool, juicy, and refrefhing. The natives fupplied us but
fparingly with hogs and vegetables, but we had not the leaft want
of either, the fupply we got at Owhyhee being far from expended.
About