, after making another attempt to weather the eastern
extreme, which, failed, I gave it up, and run down to the Discovery.
Indeed, it was of no consequence to get round the island; for we had
seen its extent to the S.E., which was the thing I aimed at; and,
according to the information which we had got from the natives, there
is no other island to the windward of this. However, as we were
so near the S.E. end of it, and as the least shift of wind, in our
favour, would serve to carry us round, I did not wholly give up the
idea of weathering it, and therefore continued to ply.

On the 20th, at noon, this S.E. point bore S., three leagues distant;
the snowy hills W.N.W., and we were about four miles from the nearest
shore. In the afternoon, some of the natives came off in their canoes,
bringing with them a few pigs and plantains. The latter were very
acceptable, having had no vegetables for some days; but the supply we
now received was so inconsiderable, being barely sufficient for one
day, that I stood in again the next morning, till within three or four
miles of the land, where we were met by a number of canoes, laden with
provisions. We brought-to, and continued trading with the people
in them, till four in the afternoon, when, having got a pretty good
supply, we made sail, and stretched off to the northward.

I had never met with a behaviour so free from reserve and suspicion,
in my intercourse with any tribes of savages, as we experienced in the
people of this island. It was very common for them to send up into the
ship the several articles they brought off for barter; afterward, they
would come in themselves, and make their bargains on the quarter-deck.
The people of Otaheite, even after our repeated visits, do not care to
put so much confidence in us. I infer from this, that those of Owhyhee
must be more faithful in their dealings with one another, than the
inhabitants of Otaheite are. For, if little faith were observed
amongst themselves, they would not be so ready to trust strangers.
It is also to be observed, to their honour, that they had never
once attempted to cheat us in exchanges, nor to commit a theft. They
understand trading as well as most people; and seemed to comprehend
clearly the reason of our plying upon the coast. For, though they
brought off provisions in great plenty, particularly pigs, yet they
kept up their price; and, rather than dispose of them for less than
they thought they were worth, woul