Night coming on, Mr Gore and I returned on board; and, at the same time, Mr Bligh got back from sounding the bay, in which he found from fourteen to twenty fathoms water, the bottom for the most part sand, but not without some coral rocks.  The place where we now anchored is much better sheltered than that which we had lately come from; but between the two is another anchoring station, much better than either.  Lefooga and Hoolaiva are divided from each other by a reef of coral rocks, which is dry at low water; so that one may walk at that time from the one to the other, without wetting a foot.  Some of our gentlemen, who landed in the latter island, did not find the least mark of cultivation, or habitation, upon it, except a single hut, the residence of a man employed to catch fish and turtle.  It is rather extraordinary that it should be in this deserted state, communicating so immediately with Lefooga, which is so perfectly cultivated; for though the soil is quite sandy, all the trees and plants found in a natural state on the neighbouring islands, are produced here with the greatest vigour.  The E. side of it has a reef like Lefooga, and the W. side has a bending at the N. part, where there seems to be good anchorage.  Uninhabited as Hoolaiva is, an artificial mount, like that at the adjoining island, has been raised upon it, as high as some of the surrounding trees.

At day-break, next morning, I made the signal to weigh; and as I intended to attempt a passage to Annamooka, in my way to Tongataboo, by the S.W. amongst the intervening islands, I sent the master in a boat to sound before the ships.  But before we could get under sail the wind became unsettled, which made it unsafe to attempt a passage this way till we were better acquainted with it.  I therefore lay fast, and made the signal for the master to return; and afterward sent him and the master of the Discovery, each in a boat, with instructions to examine the channels, as far as they could, allowing themselves time to get back to the ships before the close of the day.

About noon a large sailing canoe came under our stern, in which was a person named Futtafaihe, or Poulaho, or both, who, as the natives then on board told us, was King of Tongataboo, and of all the neighbouring islands that we had seen or heard of.  It was a matter of surprise to me to have a stranger introduced under this character, which I had so much reason to believe really belonged to another.  But they persisted in their account of the supreme dignity of this new visitor; and now, for the first time, they owned to me, that Feenou was not the king, but only a subordinate chief, though of great power, as he was often sent from Tongataboo to the other islands on warlike expeditions, or to decide differences.  It being my interest, as well as my inclination, to pay court to all the great men, without making enquiry into the validity of their assumed titles, I invited Poulaho on board, as I understood he was very desirous to come.