other islands; they were not numerous, but they flocked about the boat wherever she went from all quarters, bringing with them whatever they had to sell.  They paid the strangers, of whom they had received an account from Tupia, the same compliment which they used towards their own kings, uncovering their shoulders, and wrapping their garments round their breasts; and were so solicitous to prevent its being neglected by any of their people, that a man was sent with them, who called out to every one they met, telling him what they were, and what he was to do.

In the mean time, I kept plying off and on, waiting for the boat’s return; at half an hour after five, not seeing any, thing of her, I fired a gun, and after it was dark hoisted a light; at half an hour after eight, we heard the report of a musket, which we answered with a gun, and soon after the boat came on board.  The master reported, that the harbour was safe and commodious, with good anchorage from twenty-five to sixteen fathom water, clear ground.

As soon as the boat was hoisted in, I made sail to the northward, and at eight o’clock in the morning of the 29th, we were close under the Peak of Bolabola, which was high, rude, and craggy.  As the island was altogether inaccessible in this part, and we found it impossible to weather it, we tacked and stood off, then tacked again, and after many trips did not weather the south end of it till twelve o’clock at night.  At eight o’clock the next morning, we discovered an island, which bore from us N. 63 deg.  W. distant about eight leagues; at the same time the Peak of Bolabola bore N. 1/2 E. distant three or four leagues.  This island Tupia called Maurua, and said that it was small, wholly surrounded by a reef, and without any harbour for shipping; but inhabited, and bearing the same produce as the neighbouring islands:  The middle of it rises in a high round hill, that may be seen at the distance of ten leagues.[45]

[Footnote 45:  The people of Otaheite are said to procure pearls from this island.  It is, however, subject to Bolabola, as the reader will soon see mentioned.—­E.]

When we were off Bolabola, we saw but few people on the shore, and were told by Tupia that many of the inhabitants were gone to Ulietea.  In the afternoon we found ourselves nearly the length of the south end of Ulietea, and to windward of some harbours that lay on the west side of this island.  Into one of these harbours, though we had before been ashore on the other side of the island, I intended to put, in order to stop a leak which we had sprung in the powder-room, and to take in more ballast, as I found the ship too light to carry sail upon a wind.  As the wind was right against us, we plied off one of the harbours, and about three o’clock in the afternoon on the 1st of August, we came to an anchor in the entrance of the channel leading into it in fourteen fathom water, being prevented from working in, by a tide which set very strong out.