Besides walking frequently up into the country, which we were permitted to do without interruption, we sometimes amused ourselves in shooting wild-ducks, not unlike the widgeon, which are very numerous upon the salt lake, and the pool where we got our water.  In these excursions, we found the inhabitants had often deserted their houses to come down to the trading place, without entertaining any suspicion, that strangers, rambling about, would take away, or destroy, any thing that belonged to them.  But though, from this circumstance, it might be supposed that the greater part of the natives were sometimes collected at the beach, it was impossible to form any accurate computation of their number; as the continual resort of visitors from other islands, mixing with them, might easily mislead one.  However, as there was never, to appearance, above a thousand persons collected at one time, it would, perhaps, be sufficient to allow double that number for the whole island.

To the N. and N.E. of Annamooka, and in the direct track to Hepaee, whither we were now bound, the sea is sprinkled with a great number of small isles.  Amidst the shoals and rocks adjoining to this group, I could not be assured that there was a free or safe passage for such large ships as ours, though the natives sailed through the intervals in their canoes.  For this substantial reason, when we weighed anchor from Annamooka, I thought it necessary to go to the westward of the above islands, and steered N.N.W., toward Kao[159] and Toofoa, the two most westerly islands in sight, and remarkable for their great height.  Feenou, and his attendants, remained on board the Resolution till near noon, when he went into the large sailing canoe, which had brought him from Tongataboo, and stood in amongst the cluster of islands above mentioned, of which we were now almost abreast; and a tide or current from the westward had set us, since our sailing in the morning, much over toward them.

[Footnote 159:  As a proof of the great difficulty of knowing accurately the exact names of the South Sea Islands, as procured from the natives, I observe that what Captain Cook calls Aghao, Mr Anderson calls Kao; and Tasman’s drawing, as I find it in Mr Dalrymple’s Collection of Voyages, gives the name of Kayhay to the same island.  Tasman’s and Captain Cook’s Amattafoa, is, with Mr Anderson, Tofoa.  Captain Cook’s Komango, is Tasman’s Amango.  There is scarcely an instance, in which such variations are not observable.  Mr Anderson’s great attention to matters of this sort being, as we learn from Captain King, well known to every body on board, and admitted always by Captain Cook himself, his mode of spelling has been adopted.—­D.]