in the head. The firing had
the desired effect, and they thought fit to retire. After this, as the
Boat lay near the Shore, some of them waded off to her, and brought with
them some Trifles which they parted with for small Nails, etc. They
seem'd desirous that our people should land, but this was looked upon as
a Piece of Policy in them to get the whole Boat's Crew in their power;
however, this was not attempted, as I had given orders to run no Risk.
The Bay they went into, which lies on the West side of the Island, had in
it 25 fathoms Water, but the bottom was very foul and Rocky. We had now
made the Circuit of the Island (which did not appear to the best
advantage), and found that there was neither a Harbour or safe Anchorage
about it, and therefore I thought the Landing upon it would be attended
with no advantage either to ourselves or any future navigators; and from
the Hostile and thievish disposition of the Natives it appear'd that we
could have no friendly intercourse with them until they had felt the
Smart of our fire Arms, a thing that would have been very unjustifiable
in me at this Time; we therefore hoisted in the Boat, and made Sail to
the Southward.

[Of the Austral Group.]

This Island is situated in the Latitude of 22 degrees 27 minutes South,
and in the Longitude of 150 degrees 47 minutes West from the Meridian of
Greenwich.* (* Latitude is correct. Longitude 151 degrees 20 minutes
West.) It is 13 miles in Circuit, and tolerably high; it appears to be
neither Populous nor fertile; its produce seem'd to be nearly the same as
the other Islands we have touched at, and likewise the Stature, Colour,
Habit, and Arms of the Natives, only that some of them wore Pieces of
Cloth like broad belts, different both in Shape and Colour to anything of
the kind we had seen before, and their Arms, and in general everything
they had about them, much neater made, and shew'd great proofs of an
ingenious fancy. Tupia says that their are several Islands laying at
different directions from this--that is, from the South to the West and
North-West--and that 3 days' sail to the North-East is an Island called
Manua, that is Bird Island, and that it lies 4 days' sail from Ulietea,
which is one day less than from Ulietea to Ohetiroa.* (* Tupia was right
except with respect to Manua, as there is no island answering his
description.) From this account I shall be able to find the Situation of
Manua pretty well. Since we have left Ul