down on the South side of
the island. There is a white beach on these parts of the island on which
there appears to be tolerable good landing, or better than is usually
seen on the islands in these seas, and there is probably anchorage in
different places on this side or under the small islands, of which there
are several near the principal island, but as I did not hoist out the
boats to sound that still remains a doubt.

There are cocoanut trees all along the shore behind the beach, and an
uncommon number of boughs amongst them. The island is rather high,
diversified with hills of different forms, some of which might obtain the
name of mountain, but they are cultivated up to their very summits with
cocoanut trees and other articles, and the island is in general as well
or better cultivated and its inhabitants more numerous for its size than
any of the islands we have hitherto seen. The principal island is about 7
miles long and three or four broad, but including the islands off its
East and West ends, and which latter are joined to it by a reef, it is
about ten miles long. I called it Grenville Island [Rotuma], supposing it
to be a new discovery. Its latitude is 12 deg. 29' and longitude 183 deg. 03' W.

A great number of paddling canoes came off and viewed the ship at a
distance, and I believed that their intentions were at first hostile.
They were all armed with clubs and they had a great quantity of stones in
their canoes which they use in battle, and they all occasionally joined
in a kind of war-whoop. We made signs of peace, and offered them a
variety of toys which drew them alongside, and then into the ship where
they behaved very quietly; probably the unexpected presents they got from
us, and our number and strength might operate in favour of peace.
However, they seemed to have the same propensity to thieving as the
natives of the other islands, and gave us many, some of which ludicrous,
examples.

Although at so great a distance they said that they were acquainted with
the Friendly islands, and had learned from them the use of iron.[65-1]
They were tattooed in a different manner from the natives of the other
islands we had visited, having the figure of a fish, birds and a variety
of other things marked upon their arms. Their canoes were not so
delicately formed nor so well finished as at the Friendly islands, but
more resemble those of the Duke of York's, the Duke of Clarence's and the
Navigators' islands. Ne