XXVIII.

Some Account of Batavia, and the adjacent Country; with the Fruits, flowers, and other Productions.

XXXIX.

Some Account of the Inhabitants of Batavia, and the adjacent Country, their Manners, Customs, and Manner of Life.

XL.

The Passage from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope, Some Account of
Prince’s Island and its Inhabitants.  Our Arrival at the Cape of Good
Hope.  Some Remarks on the Run from Java Head to that Place, and to Saint
Helena.  The Return of the Ship to England.

APPENDIX

An Abstract of the Voyage round the World, performed by Lewis de Bougainville, Colonel of Foot, and Commander of the Expedition, in the Frigate La Boudeuse, and the Storeship L’Etoile, in the Years 1766-7-8, and 9, drawn up expressly for this Work.

A general history and collection of voyages and travels.

* * * * *

PART III—­BOOK I.

* * * * *

CHAP, IV.

SECTION XVII.

A particular Description of the Island of Otaheite; its Produce and Inhabitants; their Dress, Habitations, Food, Domestic Life and Amusements.

We found the longitude of Port Royal bay, in this island, as settled by Captain Wallis, who discovered it on the 9th of June, 1767, to be within half a degree of the truth.  We found Point Venus, the northern extremity of the island, and the eastern point of the bay, to lie in the longitude of 149 deg.13’, this being the mean result of a great number of observations made upon the spot.  The island is surrounded by a reef of coral rock, which forms several excellent bays and harbours, some of which have been particularly described, where there is room and depth of water far any number of the largest ships.  Port Royal bay, called by the natives Matavai which is not inferior to any in Otaheite, may easily be known, by a very high mountain in the middle of the island, which bears due south from Point Venus.  To sail into it; either keep the west point of the reef that lies before Point Venus, close on board, or give it a birth of near half a mile, in order to avoid a small shoal of coral rocks, on which there is but two fathoms and a half of water.  The best anchoring is on the eastern side of the bay, where there is sixteen and fourteen fathom upon an oosy bottom.  The shore of the bay is a fine sandy beach, behind which runs a river of fresh water, so that any number of ships may water here without incommoding each other; but the only wood for firing, upon the whole island, is that of fruit-trees, which must be purchased of the natives, or all hope of living upon good terms with them given up.