[Footnote 42:  Huaheine or Aheine (a word which signifies woman) is the eastermost of the Society Isles.  It bears some resemblance to Otaheite, being divided into two peninsulas by an isthmus of low land, having a stripe of fertile soil next the shore, from which hills of a volcanic origin arise towards the centre.  Since Capt.  Cook’s time, this island has been visited by Lieut.  Watts, Capt.  Bligh, and Capt.  Edwards, but none of these officers has afforded any satisfactory information respecting its government and history.  In the year 1791, it is said to have acknowledged the sovereignty of Otaheite.—­E.]

We now made sail for the island of Ulietea, which lies S.W. by W. distant seven or eight leagues from Huaheine, and at half an hour after six in the evening we were within three leagues of the shore, on the eastern side.  We stood off and on all night, and when the day broke the next morning, we stood in for the shore:  We soon after discovered an opening in the reef which lies before the island, within which Tupia told us there was a good harbour.  I did not, however, implicitly take his word; but sent the master out in the pinnace to examine it:  He soon made the signal for the ship to follow; we accordingly stood in, and anchored in two-and-twenty fathom, with soft ground.

The natives soon came off to us in two canoes, each of which brought a woman and a pig.  The woman we supposed was a mark of confidence, and the pig was a present; we received both with proper acknowledgments, and complimented each of the ladies with a spike-nail and some beads, much to their satisfaction.  We were told by Tupia, who had always expressed much fear of the men of Bolabola, that they had made a conquest of this island; and that, if we remained here, they would certainly come down to-morrow, and fight us.  We determined, therefore, to go on shore without delay, while the day was our own.

I landed in company with Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and the other gentleman, Tupia being also of the party.  He introduced us by repeating the ceremonies which he had performed at Huaheine, after which I hoisted an English jack, and took possession of this and the three neighbouring islands, Huaheine, Otaha, and Bolabola, which were all in sight, in the name of his Britannic majesty.  After this, we took a walk to a great morai, called Tapodeboatea.  We found it very different from those of Otaheite; for it consisted only of four walls, about eight feet high, of coral stones, some of which were of an immense size, inclosing an area of about five-and-twenty yards square, which was filled up with smaller stones:  Upon the top of it many planks were set up an end, which were carved in their whole length:  At a little distance we found an altar, or Ewhatta, upon which lay the last oblation or sacrifice, a hog of about eighty pounds weight, which had been offered whole, and very nicely roasted.  Here were also four or five Ewharre no-Eatua,