92 A V O Y A G E T O T H E
1786. The Ifland Mowee has nothing peculiarly ftriking in its appear-
. °—- j' ance. The Eaft end of the ifland is very high, but does not appear
mountainous, as it defcends in a pretty regular flope to the water’s
edge. The landfcape is prettily diverfified with trees of various
kinds, plantations, &c. but thefe feem greatly inferior to thofe I
faw at Owhyhee.
■ About five in the afternoon, we had a ftrong breeze at South
Weft, and the weather grew very fqually, on which we fhortened
fail, and flood to the North Weft. At eight o’clock the Weft end
m
1 ! of Mowee bore South Weft, five leagues diftant. During the night
the weather was pretty moderate.
At fix in the morning of the 21ft, we wore and flood to the
Southward. At eight, the Eaft end of Mowee bore South 20
deg. Eaft ; and the Ifland Morotoy Weft South Weft. Our obfer-
vation at noon gave 21 deg. 12 min. North latitude; the extremes
of Mowee bore from South 15 deg. Eaft to South 60 deg. Weft;
the center of Morotoy South 76 deg. Well. The weather during
the afternoon and night was hot and fultry, with light'variable
■
winds.
B J III In the morning of the 22d, we had a number of canoes along-
fide, from whom we purchafed potatoes, taro, plantains, fugar-
cane, and many other articles forthefhip’s ufe. The wind continued
light and variable, the fhip’s head frequently round the com-
Kg pafs. At noon, the main land of Morotoy bore Weft by South,
eight or nine miles diftant.
I fhould obferve, that the people who came to us from Mowee
and Morotoy, deemed to admire our veflels more than any we had
1 ft
■
i s
1 1
hitherto
1 itaSaK
m Ifll
hitherto met with: ’tis probable that many of them had never
feen any fhips before. * ■— ,— 1
During the 23d, we had light winds, fometimes at Eaft, or Eaft
South Eaft, but frequently variable. Being a good diftance from
fhore, no canoes came- near us. At noon, the South end of Moro-
toy bore South 8 deg. Eaft, five leagues diftant; our latitude was
21 deg. 30 min. North. At fix o’clock the body of Morotoy bore
South three-quarters Weft ;. and Mowee South Eaft by South j diftant
from fhore about fix leagues. During the greateft part of the
night, we had a frefh breeze at South Eaft; and at four o'clock m.
the morning of the 24th,. we wore, and flood to the South South
Weft. At noon, the Eaft end of Mowee bore South 25 deg. Eaft ;
but we were fo far from land, that no canoes came near us. At
five o’clock, we faw Owhyhee, which bore South 25 deg. Eaft;
and the Weft end of Mowee South; diftant about feven leagues.
During the night, and greateft part of the 25th,. we had light
variable winds. Moft of our hogs and vegetables being expended,
it was our intention to make Owhyhee as foon as pofiible, in order
to procure 4 frefh fupply. In the evening of the 25th, a frefh.
breeze fprfing up from the Southward, which continued-with very
little alteration during the 26th and 27th. Our latitude at noon,.
on the 26th, was 21. deg. 25 min. North. The Eaft end of
Mowee then bore South three quarters Eaft. At noon on the 27th,
Mowee bore South by Eaft, and Morotoy South 24 deg. Weft;,
the weather tolerably fine, and the wind at South South Weft..
The wind amongft thefe Iflands feems never to blow from one
point for any length of time; nor can a Heady trade wind, at this
time of the year,-by any means be depended on : fometimes we had
Eafterly