At four o’clock next morning, I ordered a boat to be hoisted out, and sent the master to sound the S.W. side of Annamooka; where there appeared to be a harbour, formed by the island on the N.E., and by small islets, and shoals, to the S.W. and S.E.  In the mean time, the ships were got under sail, and wrought up to the island.  When the master returned, he reported, that he had sounded between Great and Little Annamooka, where he found ten and twelve fathoms depth of water, the bottom coral sand; that the place was very well sheltered from all winds; but that there was no fresh water to be found, except at some distance inland; and that, even there, little of it was to be got, and that little not good.  For this reason only, and it was a very sufficient one, I determined to anchor on the north side of the island, where, during my last voyage, I had found a place fit both for watering and landing.

It was not above a league distant; and yet we did not reach it till five o’clock in the afternoon, being considerably retarded by the great number of canoes that continually crowded round the ships, bringing to us abundant supplies of the produce of their island.  Amongst these canoes there were some double ones, with a large sail, that carried between forty and fifty men each.  These sailed round us, apparently, with the same ease as if we had been at anchor.  There were several women in the canoes, who were, perhaps, incited by curiosity to visit us; though, at the same time, they bartered as eagerly as the men, and used the paddle with equal labour and dexterity; I came to an anchor in eighteen fathoms water, the bottom coarse coral sand; the island extending from E. to S.W.; and the W. point of the westernmost cove S.E., about three quarters of a mile distant.  Thus I resumed the very same station which I had occupied when I visited Annamooka three years before; and, probably, almost in the same place where Tasman, the first discoverer of this, and some of the neighbouring islands, anchored in 1643.

The following day, while preparations were making for watering, I went ashore, in the forenoon, accompanied by Captain Clerke, and some of the officers, to fix on a place where the observatories might be set up, and a guard be stationed; the natives having readily given us leave.  They also accommodated us with a boat-house, to serve as a tent, and shewed us every other mark of civility.  Toobou, the chief of the island, conducted me and Omai to his house.  We found it situated on a pleasant spot, in the centre of his plantation.  A fine grass-plot surrounded it, which, he gave us to understand, was for the purpose of cleaning their feet, before they went within doors.  I had not, before, observed such an instance of attention to cleanliness at any of the places I had visited in this ocean; but, afterward, found that it was very common at the Friendly Islands.  The floor of Toobou’s house was covered with mats; and no carpet, in the most elegant English drawing-room, could be kept neater.  While we were on shore, we procured a few hogs, and some fruit, by bartering; and, before we got on board again, the ships were crowded with the natives.  Few of them coming empty-handed, every necessary refreshment was now in the greatest plenty.