[1] “In order to make the sequel more intelligible, it will be necessary to give a slight sketch of the appearance of the country which encloses the harbour.  The point which forms its eastern shore is very low and flat, but presently rises into a level hill, about fifteen or twenty yards high, which is wholly laid out in plantations.  This encompasses the eastern and southern shore of the bay, being near three miles long, and extending several miles inland to the sea on the other side.  Where this flat hill ends, a fine plain covered with plantations runs to the southward, bounded by several ranges of pleasant hills, of which the nearest are of easy ascent.  To the west this plain, as well as the whole bay itself, is enclosed by a steep hill, three or four hundred yards high, which is nearly perpendicular in most places.  A narrow beach of large broken shingles and stones runs along the western shore, but a perpendicular rock separates it from the southern beach.  This last is very broad, and consists of a firm black sand; it bounds the plain, and is the same where we cut wood and filled our casks with water.  A beach of coral rock and shell sand continues from thence along the foot of the flat hill quite to the eastern point of the harbour.  The flat hill does not lie close to this beach, but a space of level land, thirty or forty yards wide, covered with groves of palms, extends to its foot.  The whole south east corner of the bay is filled with a flat reef of coral, which is overflowed at low water.”—­G.F.

[2] “The women and children, though they brought us several dainties, were notwithstanding so extremely timorous, that if we only fixed our eyes upon them, they instantly ran away, to the great entertainment of the men.  However, their coming so near us, was sufficient proof that we had made great progress towards gaining their confidence.  We observed some of them who had a smile on their countenances, but in general they looked gloomy and melancholy.  Whenever we presented a bead, a nail, or ribbon to any of the people, they refused to touch it, but desired us to lay it down, and then took it up in a leaf.  Whether this was owing to some superstitious notions, or to a fancied idea of cleanliness, or of civility, must remain a matter of doubt.”—­ G.F.

[3] “He, as well as all his countrymen, had not the same facility of pronunciation as the Mallecollese; we were therefore obliged to tell him our names, modified according to the softer organs of the Otaheitans.  His features were rather handsome, his eyes large and very lively; and the whole countenance expressed good humour, sprightliness, and acuteness.

To mention only a single instance of his ingenuity; it happened that my father and Captain Cook, on comparing their vocabularies, discovered that each had collected a different word to signify the sky; they appealed to him to know which of the two expressions was right; he presently held