1787. latter ifland bore from North to North 58 deg. Eaft; and Onee-
^Mareh. ^ ]10w g deg. South.
In the afternoon, and the whole of the 27th, we had frelh variable
breezes; but the forenoon of the 28th, being fine, and the
wind blowing a moderate breeze from the Eaftward, we came to
anchor in Wymoa Bay, in thirty-feven fathom water, over a fandy
bottom.
Our motive for coming to this place was to fearch for our
anchor, and the whale-boat was immediately hoifted out for that
purpofe; but all our endeavours were ineffectual, though we had
taken exact bearings of the place where it was loft, and the water
was tolerably fmooth: the buoys we had left were either drifted
away, or ftolen by the natives.
The weather during the ift of March was moderate and fine, fo
that we hoped to procure a fupply of hogs and vegetables; but the
inhabitants we found were tabooed, and nobody came near us
except a few of the inferior Chiefs, who brought us a fmall quantity
of taro.
We had reafon to fuppofe, from every information we were able
to procure, that the King grew tired of us, and had tabooed the
people, in order to prevent any refrefhments being brought on
board the veffels, thinking from our frequent vifits, that we intended
to fettle at Atoui: indeed appearances might warrant a
fuppofxtion of this kind. We had repeatedly anchored on their
coaft; cruized backwards and forwards, in fight of their ifland j
anchored there again; and, in fhort, been long enough amongft
them
them to encourage a fuppofition, that we wifhed to fix our abode 1787.
at this defirable fpot. c—v -
I f thefe motives actually induced Tiara to taboo the inhabitants,
and I make no doubt but they did, it confirms what I have already
faid, refpecting his good fenfe and penetration; nay, the moft
refined politician could not take a better method to drive away any
unwelcome intruders, and whom at the fame time he could not
openly quarrel with, than by ftarving them out— But to return :
The wind on the 2d fluffing to the Weft ward, we weighed anchor
.■ at eight o’clock in the evening, and flood out to fea ; it was very
fortunate for us that we did fo, for the next day proved very
fqually, with heavy rain; the wind nearly South Weft. At noon,
Atoui bore from North North Eaft to North 25 deg. Weft ; and
Oneehow from North 60 deg. Weft to 80 deg. Weft; about fix
leagues diftant. The afternoon proving thick and foggy, we loft
light of both iflands.
The fame foggy weather continued during the 4th and 5th, with
itrong Wefterly gales of wind, and heavy rain, attended with a
very heavy crofs fea; this made us judge it moft prudent to lay to,
as we were not certain how the currents fet, and were unwilling to
ftand out far from the land.
In the morning of the i;th,. we faw Atoui, which bore from
Weft to Weft South W eft; and Whahoo, South South Eaft.
Towards the afternoon, the weather grew moderate, and the people
were employed in getting in a new jigger-maft, the old one
being carried away: fome iron work being required, the armourer
bufily employed about it, when a fudden roll of the fhip
S threw
•was