The winds were light and variable all day with calms.  At two in the afternoon we were within three miles of the southernmost key and could see a number of people within the reefs.  Shortly after a canoe, in which were four men, paddled off to us and came alongside without showing any signs of apprehension or surprise.  I gave them a few beads and they came into the ship.  One man, who seemed to have an ascendancy over the others, looked about the ship with some appearance of curiosity, but none of them would venture to go below.  They asked for some boiled fresh pork which they saw in a bowl belonging to one of the seaman, and it was given them to eat with boiled plantains.  Being told that I was the Earee or chief of the ship the principal person came and joined noses with me, and presented to me a large mother of pearl shell, which hung with plaited hair round his neck; this he fastened round my neck with signs of great satisfaction.

They spoke the same language as at Otaheite, with very little variation as far as I could judge.  In a small vocabulary that I made whilst conversing with these men only four words out of twenty-four differed from the Otaheite.  The name of the large island they told me was Wytootackee, and the Earee was called Lomakkayah.  They said that there were no hogs, dogs, or goats upon the island, nor had they yams, or tarro; but that plantains, coconuts, fowls, breadfruit, and avees, were there in great abundance.  Notwithstanding they said that no hogs were on the island it was evident they had seen such animals; for they called them by the same name as is given to them at Otaheite, which made me suspect that they were deceiving me.  However I ordered a young boar and sow to be put into their canoe with some yams and tarro, as we could afford to part with some of these articles.  I also gave to each of them a knife, a small adze, some nails, beads, and a looking-glass.  The latter they examined with great curiosity; but with the ironwork they appeared to be acquainted; calling it aouree, which is the common name for iron among the islands where it is known.

As they were preparing to leave us the chief of the canoe took possession of everything that I had given to the others.  One of them showed some signs of dissatisfaction, but after a little altercation they joined noses and were reconciled.  I now thought they were going to leave the ship, but only two of them went into the canoe, the other two purposing to stay all night with us and to have the canoe return for them in the morning.  I would have treated their confidence with the regard it merited but it was impossible to say how far the ship might be driven from the island in the night.  This I explained to them and they reluctantly consented to leave us.  They were very solicitous that somebody from the ship should go on shore with them, and just before they quitted us they gave me a wooden spear which was the only thing, the paddles excepted, they had brought with them in the canoe.  It was a common longstaff pointed with the toa wood.