ose days except to
American whale-ships.

In the boat were sufficient biscuits, salt beef, and water to last them,
with great economy, for a fortnight The boat itself was a good one, and
they were provided with a compass and a course to be steered. The men
were on good terms with each other and loyal and submissive to their
officer; so they had much to be thankful for, and their chief sorrow in
leaving the brig was their fears for the safety of Loft-green, who had
always been a kind and considerate officer.

For fifteen days the boat sailed before light breezes, till on August
7th they made Tawere Island in the Paumotus Archipelago (named by Cook
"Resolution Island" after his ship) almost in the centre of the vast
group, having passed without sighting them many other low-lying atolls
which lay in their course on the starboard hand. To their joy the
brown-skinned natives of Tawere behaved very kindly to them, for several
whale-ships, and, later on, the missionaries of the London Missionary
Society's ship, had visited their island, and the people were
well-disposed to white men. The island afforded but little in the way of
food--only fish, pigs, cocoanuts, and a coarse species of taro, but of
these the people were profuse in their presents to the white men.

Only remaining a day and a night at Tawere, Todd bade farewell to
the amiable natives, and continued on his course, sighting many other
islands of the group, but calling at none. Then came a heavy gale from
the south, and he had to let the boat run right before it to the north.
The sea was short and lumpy, and only continuous bailing kept her from
filling.

Early on the morning of the 15th further misfortunes overtook them; a
sudden squall sprung the mast, although the sail was close reefed. Then
the rudder gudgeons carried away, and the boat broached to and shipped
a heavy sea, which with other damage tore the compass from the
after-thwart, where it had been placed, and completely smashed and
rendered it useless. A few hours later, however, the weather cleared,
the gale died away, and the gentle south-east trade again breathed upon
them. That evening they made Anaa (Chain Island), the natives of which,
owing to previous association with South Seamen--as whaling and trading
ships were then called--were very good to them. At Anaa, Todd and his
comrades remained for two days, and on the morning of the 20th day they
sighted the noble outlines of Tahiti, the Garden of