The officers who had been sent out with the boats, informed me that they had sounded close to the reef, and found as great a depth of water as at the other islands:  However, as I was now on the weather-side of the island, I had reason to expect anchorage in running to leeward.  I therefore took this course, but finding breakers that ran off to a great distance from the south end of the island, I hauled the wind, and continued turning to windward all night, in order to run down on the east side of the island.

At five o’clock in the morning, we made sail, the land bearing N.W. by W. distant ten leagues; and there seemed to be land five leagues beyond it, to the N.E.; a remarkable peak, like a sugar loaf, bore N.N.E. when we were about two leagues from the shore, which afforded a most delightful prospect, and was full of houses and inhabitants.  We saw several large canoes near the shore, under sail, but they did not steer towards the ship.  At noon, we were within two or three miles of the island, and it then bore from S.3/4 W. to N.W. by N. We continued our course along the shore, sometimes at the distance of half a mile, and sometimes at the distance of four or five miles, but hitherto had got no soundings.  At six o’clock in the evening, we were a-breast of a fine river, and the coast having a better appearance here than in any other part that we had seen, I determined to stand off and on all night, and try for anchorage in the morning.  As soon as it was dark, we saw a great number of lights all along the shore.  At daybreak, we sent out the boats to sound, and soon after, they made the signal for twenty fathom.  This produced an universal joy, which it is not easy to describe, and we immediately ran in, and came to an anchor in seventeen fathom, with a clear sandy bottom.  We lay about a mile distant from the shore, opposite to a fine run of water; the extremes of the land bearing from E.S.E. to N.W. by W. As soon as we had secured the ship, I sent the boats to sound along the coast, and look at the place where we saw the water.  At this time, a considerable number of canoes came off to the ship, and brought with them hogs, fowls, and fruit in great plenty, which we purchased for trinkets and nails.  But when the boats made towards the shore, the canoes, most of which were double, and very large, sailed after them.  At first they kept at a distance, but as the boats approached the shore, they grew bolder, and at last three of the largest ran at the cutter, staved in her quarter, and carried away her out-rigger, the Indians preparing at the same time to board her, with their clubs and paddles in their hands.  Our people being thus pressed, were obliged to fire, by which one of the assailants was killed, and another much wounded.  Upon receiving the shot, they both fell overboard, and all the people who were in the same canoe, instantly leaped into the sea after them:  The other two canoes dropped a-stern, and our boats went on without