ture.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, Mr Gore returned with the boat, and
informed me, that he had examined all the west side of the island,
without finding a place where a boat could land, or the ships could
anchor, the shore being every where bounded by a steep coral rock,
against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. But as the natives
seemed very friendly, and to express a degree of disappointment when
they saw that our people failed in their attempts to land, Mr Gore was
of opinion, that by means of Omai, who could best explain our request,
they might be prevailed upon to bring off to the boats, beyond the surf,
such articles as we most wanted; in particular, the stems of plantain
trees, which make good food for the cattle. Having little or no wind,
the delay of a day or two was not of any moment; and therefore I
determined to try the experiment, and got every thing ready against the
next morning.

Soon after day-break, we observed some canoes coming off to the ships,
and one of them directed its course to the Resolution. In it was a hog,
with some plantains and cocoa nuts, for which the people who brought
them demanded a dog from us, and refused every other thing that we
offered in exchange. One of our gentlemen on board happened to have a
dog and a bitch, which were great nuisances in the ship, and might have
been disposed of on this occasion for a purpose of real utility, by
propagating a race of so useful an animal in this island. But their
owner had no such views, in making them the companions of his voyage.
However, to gratify these people, Omai parted with a favourite dog he
had brought from England; and with this acquisition they departed highly
satisfied.

About ten o'clock, I dispatched Mr Gore with three boats, two from the
Resolution, and one from the Discovery, to try the experiment he had
proposed. And, as I could confide in his diligence and ability, I left
it entirely to himself, to act as, from circumstances, he should judge
to be most proper. Two of the natives, who had been on board,
accompanied him, and Omai went with him in his boat as an interpreter.
The ships being a full league from the island when the boats put off,
and having but little wind, it was noon before we could work up to it.
We then saw our three boats riding at their grapplings, just without the
surf, and a prodigious number of the natives on the shore, abreast of
them. By this we concluded, that Mr Gore, and others of