ough to appreciate the commodities which we
offered by their use, which is more than could be said of some of their
neighbours, who made a much better appearance. Their dress has been
mentioned already, particularly their large round head-dresses of
feathers, which were far from being unbecoming.

As soon as we got out of the Sound I stood over to the eastward, in
order to get the streight well open before the tide of ebb came on. At
seven in the evening, the two small islands which lie off Cape Koamaroo,
the south-east head of Queen Charlotte's Sound, bore east, distant about
four miles: At this time it was nearly calm, and the tide of ebb setting
out, we were, in a very short time, carried by the rapidity of the
stream close upon one of the islands, which was a rock rising almost
perpendicularly out of the sea: We perceived our danger increase every
moment, and had but one expedient to prevent our being dashed to pieces,
the success of which a few minutes would determine. We were now within
little more than a cable's length of the rock, and had more than
seventy-five fathom water; but upon dropping an anchor, and veering
about one hundred and fifty fathom of cable, the ship was happily
brought up: This, however, would not have saved us, if the tide which
set S. by E. had not, upon meeting with the island, changed its
direction to S.E. and carried us beyond the first point. In this
situation, we were not above two cables' length, from the rocks; and
here we remained in the strength of the tide, which set to the S.E.
after the rate of at least five miles an hour, from a little after seven
till near midnight, when the tide abated, and we began to heave. By
three in the morning the anchor was at the bows, and having a light
breeze at N.W. we made sail for the eastern shore; but the tide being
against us, we made but little way: The wind however afterwards
freshened, and came to N. and N.E. with which, and the tide of ebb, we
were in a short time hurried through the narrowest part of the straight,
and then stood away for the southermost land we had in sight, which bore
from us S. by W. Over this land appeared a mountain of stupendous
height, which was covered with snow.

The narrowest part of the streight, through which we had been driven
with such rapidity, lies between Cape Tierawitte, on the coast of
Eaheinomawe, and Cape Koamaroo: The distance between them I judged to be
between four or five leagues, and notwithstandi