During the course of the day, we were visited by several of the natives, who came off to sell provisions, and we soon found that they had heard of our late unfortunate transactions at Owhyhee.  They were very curious to learn the particulars from a woman who had concealed herself on board the Resolution, in order to take her passage to Atooi; enquiring eagerly after Pareea and some other chiefs, and appearing much shocked at the death of Kaneena and his brother.  We had, however, the satisfaction to find that, in whatever light the woman might have represented this business, it had no bad effect on their behaviour, which was remarkably civil and submissive.

The weather continued variable during the night; but in the morning of the 25th, having the wind at E., we ran along the S. side of Ranai, till near noon; after which, we had calms and baffling winds till evening, when we steered, with a light easterly breeze, for the W. part of Morotoi.  In the course of the day, the current, which, from the time we left Karakakooa Bay, had set from the N.E., changed its direction to the S.E.

During the night, the wind was again variable; but early next morning it settled at E., and blew so fresh as to oblige us to double-reef the top-sails.  At seven, in hauling round the W. point of Morotoi, we opened a small bay, at the distance of about two leagues, with a fine sandy beach; but seeing no appearance of fresh water, we stood on to the N., in order to get to the windward of Woahoo, an island which we had seen at our first visit in January 1778.

At two in the afternoon, we saw the land bearing W. by N., eight leagues distant; and having tacked as soon as it was dark, we again bore away at day-light on the 27th; and at half-past ten, were within a league of the shore, near the middle of the N.E. side of the island.

The coast to the northward is formed of detached hills, rising perpendicularly from the sea, with ragged and broken summits, the sides covered with wood, and the vallies between them of a fertile and well-cultivated appearance.  To the southward we saw an extensive bay, bounded by a low point of land to the S.E., which was covered with cocoa-nut trees, and off it stood a high insulated rock, about a mile from the shore.  The haziness of the weather prevented our seeing distinctly the land to the southward of the point, we could only perceive that it was high and broken.

As the wind continued to blow very fresh, we thought it dangerous to entangle ourselves with a lee-shore, and therefore did not attempt to examine the bay, but hauled up, and steered to the northward in the direction of the coast.  At noon, we were abreast of the N. point of the island, about two leagues from the land, which is low and flat, and has a reef stretching off it to the distance of near a mile and a half.  The latitude, by observation, 21 deg. 50’ N., longitude 202 deg. 15’ E., the extreme parts of the island in sight bearing S.S.E. 1/4 E., and S.W. by S. 3/4 W.