December reSret was ^ at prefent, as their attention was, in a great mea-
____,— j fure, taken up with the novelty of their fituation.
We had light baffling winds, till the evening of the 2 iff, when a
ftrong breeze came on at North Eaft, which brought us in fight
e f Atoui, in the morning of the 22d. A t noon our latitude was
22 deg. 12 min. North; the Eaft point of land bore Eaft North
Eaft, about fix miles diftant from fhore. The Ifland Oneehow
Weft South Weft; Wymoa Bay, the place where we propofed to
anchor, being to the Southward and Weftward. About two
o’clock, being as yet confiderably to the Eaftward o f our propofed
anchoring place, we pafled over a good deal of Ihoal water, having
feldom more than five fathom, over a fandy bottom; the adjacent
fhore, which was not more than two miles diftant, appeared level
and well cultivated.
About three o’clock, Captain Portlock let go his anchor, and we
having bottom in twenty-five fathom, and at a convenient diftance
from the King George, prepared to do the fame, which, though
we did with all expedition, and veered out fifty fathom cable, the
anchor did not bring us up: this made us conjefture that we had
drove off the bank, and our opinion was confirmed on heaving the
lead over, as we found no bottom with eighty fathom line.
Whilft our anchor was purchafing, we unavoidably drifted to leeward,
fo that it was impracticable to make the fituation we firft
intended. On this we made feveral boards, and about five o’clock
■ Same to in a very good fituation, near three miles North Weft of
the King George, in eighteen and half fathom water, over a fandy
bottom, inclining to mud. A long, low, fandy point to the South
Weft, bearing Weft by South; the Eaftermoft point of the bay
Eaft South Eaft; the mouth of a frelh water river North Eaft by
Eaft,
Eaft, rather more than a mile diftant from fhore.
Oneehow South South Weft.
The Ifland I786.
December.
Our tranfaclions at this place fhall be the fubject of my next.
Thine,
W. B.-
A todi, J
22(1 Dec. I
L E T T E R XXIV.
A T O U I was the firft place Captain Cook anchored at, when.
thefe iflands were difeovered by him ; fo that it was known
to afford great plenty of hogs and vegetables : the former we
wanted to cure for fea-ftore, as the hogs we had bought fince our
leaving Owhyhee afforded us little more than a daily fupply.
Early in the morning of the 23d December, we were furrounded
by a number of canoes, moft of them well loaded with taro, potatoes,
fugar-cane, and cocoa-nuts, and a good number of fine hogs.
This plainly fhewed us, that the inhabitants knew we were come
.for a fupply of provifions, and had prepared themfelves accordingly.
We found the roots much cheaper, and in greater plenty
than at Whahoo ; but finding we were defirous of buying large
hogs, they were at firft exorbitant in their demands, at leaf!: in
proportion td what we had given at the other iflands, on which we
feemed