It was no sooner day-light, than we were visited by six or seven canoes from different islands, bringing with them, besides fruits and roots, two pigs, several fowls, some large wood-pigeons, small rails, and large violet-coloured coots.  All these they exchanged with us for beads, nails, hatchets, &c.  They had also other articles of commerce; such as pieces of their cloth, fish-hooks, small baskets, musical reeds, and some clubs, spears, and bows.  But I ordered, that no curiosities should be purchased, till the ships should be supplied with provisions, and leave given for that purpose.  Knowing also, from experience, that, if all our people might trade with the natives, according to their own caprice, perpetual quarrels would ensue, I ordered that particular persons should manage the traffic both on board and on shore, prohibiting all others to interfere.  Before mid-day, Mr King’s boat returned with seven hogs, some fowls, a quantity of fruit and roots for ourselves, and some grass for the cattle.  His party was very civilly treated at Komango.  The inhabitants did not seem to be numerous; and their huts, which stood close to each other, within a plantain wall, were but indifferent.  Not far from them was a pretty large pond of fresh water, tolerably good; but there was not any appearance of a stream.  With Mr King, came on board the chief of the island, named Touboulangee; and another, whose name was Taipa.  They brought with them a hog, as a present to me, and promised more the next day.

As soon as the boats were aboard, I stood for Annamooka; and the wind being scant, I intended to go between Annamooka-ette,[158] and the breakers to the S.E. of it.  But, on drawing near, we met with very irregular soundings, varying, every cast, ten or twelve fathoms.  This obliged me to give up the design, and to go to the southward of all; which carried us to leeward, and made it necessary to spend the night under sail.  It was very dark; and we had the wind, from every direction, accompanied with heavy showers of rain.  So that, at day-light the next morning, we found ourselves much farther off than we had been the evening before; and the little wind that now blew, was right in our teeth.

[Footnote 158:  That is, Little Annamooka.]

We continued to ply, all day, to very little purpose; and, in the evening, anchored in thirty-nine fathoms water; the bottom coral rocks, and broken shells; the west point of Annamooka bearing E.N.E., four miles distant.  Touboulangee and Taipa kept their promise, and brought off to me some hogs.  Several others were also procured by bartering, from different canoes that followed us; and as much fruit as we could well manage.  It was remarkable, that, during the whole day, our visitors from the islands would hardly part with any of their commodities to any body but me.  Captain Clerke did not get above one or two hogs.