soon got on board their canoe, beat him who had taken his things, and not only brought back his own, but many other articles which he took from them.  This man had likewise been observed making collections on shore at the trading-place.  I remembered to have seen him there; and, on account of his gathering tribute, took him to be a man of consequence, and was going to make him a present; but some of their people would not let me, saying he was no Areeke (that is, chief).  He had his hair always powdered with some kind of white dust.

As we had no wind to sail this afternoon, a party of us went ashore in the evening.  We found the natives everywhere courteous and obliging; so that, had we made a longer stay, it is probable we should have had no more reason to complain of their conduct.  While I was now on shore, I got the names of twenty islands, which lie between the N.W. and N.E., some of them in sight.  Two of them, which lie most to the west, viz.  Amattafoa and Oghao, are remarkable on account of their great height.  In Amattafoa, which is the westernmost, we judged there was a volcano, by the continual column of smoke we saw daily ascending from the middle of it.

Both Mr Cooper and myself being on shore at noon, Mr Wales could not wind up the watch at the usual time; and, as we did not come on board till late in the afternoon, it was forgotten till it was down.  This circumstance was of no consequence, as Mr Wales had had several altitudes of the sun at this place, before it went down; and also had opportunities of taking some after.

At day-break on the 29th, having got under sail with a light breeze at west, we stood to the north for the two high islands; but the wind, scanting upon us, carried us in amongst the low isles and shoals; so that, we had to ply, to clear them.  This gave time for a great many canoes to get up with us.  The people in them brought for traffic various articles; some roots, fruits, and fowls, but of the latter not many.  They took in exchange small nails, and pieces of any kind of cloth.  I believe, before they went away, they stripped the most of our people of the few clothes the ladies at Otaheite had left them; for the passion for curiosities was as great as ever.  Having got clear of the low isles, we made a stretch to the south, and did but fetch a little to windward of the south end of Anamocka; so that we got little by this day’s plying.  Here we spent the night, making short boards over that space with which we had made ourselves acquainted the preceding day.

On the 30th at day-break, stretched out for Amattafoa, with a gentle breeze at W.S.W.  Day no sooner dawned than we saw canoes coming from all parts.  Their traffic was much the same as it had been the day before, or rather better; for out of one canoe I got two pigs, which were scarce articles here.  At four in the afternoon, we drew near the island of Amattafoa, and passed between it and Oghao, the channel