ere on board, one of the Tatafee, and one of the Toobou family; but the
principal chief was not on board. We supposed he was coming off just as
we sailed.[137-1] The natives in general were very fair and honourable in
their dealings. They were more inoffensive and better behaved than any we
had seen for some time. They have frequent intercourse with Anamooka, and
their religion, customs, and language, are the same.

A number of beautiful paroquets were brought off by the natives, all
remarkable for the richness and variety of their plumage.

The group of islands was called Howe's Islands, but were particularly
distinguished by the names of Barrington's, Sawyer's, Hotham's, and
Jarvis's Islands. The sound itself was called Curtis's Sound. Under the
general denomination of Howe's Islands, were included several islands to
the south east, to which we gave no particular name, and two more islands
to the westward, called Bickerton's Islands, including two small islands
near the above. There seems to be a tolerable landing-place on the
north-west side of Gardner's Island. All this part of the island has a
most barren aspect. There were evident marks of volcanic eruptions having
happened. The very singular appearance which this part of the island
presented, I cannot omit mentioning; it bore the figure of a piece of
flat table-land, without the slightest eminence or indentation, and smoke
was issuing from the edges, round its whole circumference.

On the 23rd, we passed an inhabited island, which we supposed to be the
Pylestaart island. It has two remarkable high peaks upon it.

On the 26th, we saw Middleburg Island, and run down between it and Euah;
examined it without success; passed Tongatabu; got some provisions here,
but found the water brackish.

On the 29th, we anchored again in the road of Anamooka. We were sorry to
hear the tender had not been there. On the 5th of August, we again
proceeded on our voyage. As the occurrences at this time bore some
semblance to the transactions in our last visit, to avoid wounding the
delicate, or satiating the licentious, we shall conclude in the torpid
phraseology of the log, with ditto repeated.

Every thing being ready for sea on the 3d day of August, we sailed from
Anamooka; and on the 5th, discovered an island of some considerable
extent, called by the natives Onooafow,[138-1] which we called Proby's
Island, in honour of Commissioner Proby. We traded with the inhabitants
for so