Thus were we obliged to leave, unvisited, this fine island, which seemed capable of supplying all our wants.  It lies in the latitude of 21 deg. 57’ S., and in the longitude of 201 deg. 53’ E. Such parts of the coast as fell under our observation, are guarded by a reef of coral rock, on the outside of which the sea is of an unfathomable depth.  It is full five leagues in circuit, and of a moderate and pretty equal height; though, in clear weather, it may be certainly seen at the distance of ten leagues; for we had not lost sight of it at night, when we had run above seven leagues, and the weather was cloudy.  In the middle, it rises into little hills, from whence there is a gentle descent to the shore, which, at the S.W. part, is steep, though not above ten or twelve feet high; and has several excavations made by the beating of the waves against a brownish sand-stone of which it is composed.  The descent here is covered with trees of a deep green colour, very thick, but not high, which seem all of one sort, unless nearest the shore, where there are great numbers of that species of dracaena found in the woods of New Zealand, which are also scattered in some other places.  On the N.W. part, the shore, as we mentioned above, ends in a sandy beach; beyond which the land is broken down into small chasms or gullies, and has a broad border of trees resembling tall willows; which, from its regularity, might be supposed a work of art, did not its extent forbid us to think so.  Farther up on the ascent, the trees were of the deep green mentioned before.  Some of us supposed these to be the rima, intermixed with low cocoa palms; and a few of some other sorts.  They seemed not so thick as on the S.W. part, and higher; which appearance might be owing to our nearer approach to the shore.  On the little hills were some trees of a taller sort, thinly scattered; but the other parts of them were either bare, and of a reddish colour, or covered with something like fern.  Upon the whole, the island has a pretty aspect, and might be made a beautiful spot by cultivation.

As the inhabitants seemed to be both numerous and well fed, such articles of provision as the island produces must be in great plenty.  It might, however, be a matter of curiosity to know, particularly, their method of subsistence; for our friend Mourooa told us, that they had no animals, as hogs and dogs, both which, however, they had heard of; but acknowledged they had plantains, bread-fruit, and taro.  The only birds we saw, were some white egg-birds, terns, and noddies; and one white heron, on the shore.

The language of the inhabitants of Mangeea is a dialect of that spoken at Otaheite; though their pronunciation, as that of the New Zealanders, be more guttural.  Some of their words, of which two or three are perhaps peculiar to this island, are here subjoined, as taken, by Mr Anderson, from Omai, who had learnt them in his conversations with Mourooa.  The Otaheite words, where there is any resemblance, are placed opposite.