In the afternoon, after making another attempt to weather the eastern extreme, which failed, I gave it up, and run down to the Discovery. Indeed, it was of no consequence to get round the island; for we had seen its extent to the south-east, which was the thing I aimed at; and according to the information which we had got from the natives, there is no other island to the windward of this. However, as we were so near the south end of it, and as the least shift of wind, in our favour, would serve to carry us round, I did not wholly give up the idea of weathering it; and therefore continued to ply.
On the 20th, at noon, this south-east point bore south, three leagues distant; the snowy hills west-north-west; and we were about four miles from the nearest shore. In the afternoon, some of the natives came in their canoes, bringing with them a few pigs and plantains. The latter were very acceptable, having had no vegetables for some days; but the supply we now received was so inconsiderable, being barely sufficient for one day, that I stood in again the next morning, till within three or four miles of the land, where we were met by a number of canoes, laden with provisions. We brought to, and continued trading with the people in them, till four in the afternoon; when, having got a pretty good supply, we made sail, and stretched off to the northward.
I had never met with a behaviour so free from reserve and suspicion, in my intercourse with any tribes of savages, as we experienced in the people of this island. It was very common for them to send up into the ship the several articles they brought off for barter; afterward, they would come in themselves, and make their bargains on the quarter-deck. The people of Otaheite, even after our repeated visits, do not care to put so much confidence in us. I infer from this, that those of Owhyhee must be more faithful in their dealings with one another, than the inhabitants of Otaheite are. For if little faith were observed amongst themselves, they would not be so ready to trust strangers. It is also to be observed, to their honour, that they had never once attempted to cheat us in exchanges, nor to commit a theft. They understand trading as well as most people; and seemed to comprehend clearly the reason of our plying upon the coast. For, though they brought of provisions in great plenty, particularly pigs, yet they kept up their price; and, rather than dispose of them for less than they thought they were worth, would take them ashore again.
On the 22d, at eight in the morning, we tacked to the southward, with a fresh breeze at east by north. At noon, the latitude was 20° 28ʹ 30ʺ; and the snowy peak bore south-west half south. We had a good view of it the preceding day, and the quantity of snow seemed to have increased, and to extend lower down the hill. I stood to the south-east till midnight, then tacked to the north till four in the morning, when we returned to the south-east tack; and, as the wind was at north-east by east, we had hopes of weathering the island. We should have succeeded, if the wind had not died away, and left us to the mercy of a great swell, which carried us fast toward the land, which was not two leagues distant. At length, we got our head off, and some light puffs of wind, which came with showers of rain, put us out of danger. While we lay, as it were, becalmed, several of the islanders came off with hogs, fowls, fruit, and roots. Out of one canoe we got a goose; which was about the size of a Muscovy duck. Its plumage was dark grey, and the bill and legs black.
At four in the afternoon, after purchasing every thing that the natives had brought off; which was full as much as we had occasion for, we made sail, and stretched to the north, with the wind at E. N. E. At midnight we tacked, and stood to the S. E. Upon a supposition that the Discovery would see us tack, the signal was omitted; but she did not see us, as we afterward found, and continued standing to the north; for, at day-light next morning, she was not in sight. At this time, the weather being hazy, we could not see far; so that it was possible the Discovery might be following us; and being past the north-east part of the island, I was tempted to stand on, till, by the wind veering to N. E., we could not weather the land upon the other tack. Consequently we could not stand to the north to join or look for the Discovery. At noon we were, by observation, in the latitude of 19° 55ʹ, and in the longitude of 205° 3ʹ; the S. E. point of the island bore S. by E. a quarter E., six leagues distant; the other extreme bore N., 60° W.; and we were two leagues from the nearest shore. At six in the evening, the southernmost extreme of the island bore S. W., the nearest shore seven or eight miles distant; so that we had now succeeded in getting to the windward of the island, which we had aimed at with so much perseverance.
The Discovery, however, was not yet to be seen. But the wind, as we had it, being very favourable for her to follow us, I concluded that it would not be long before she joined us. I therefore kept cruising off this south-east point of the island, which lies in the latitude of 19° 34ʹ, and in the longitude of 205° 6ʹ, till I was satisfied that Captain Clerke could not join me here. I now conjectured that he had not been able to weather the north-east part of the island, and had gone to leeward in order to meet me that way.
As I generally kept from five to ten leagues from the land, no canoes, except one, came off to us till the 28th, when we were visited by a dozen or fourteen. The people who conducted them brought, as usual, the produce of the island. I was very sorry that they had taken the trouble to come so far. For we could not trade with them, our old stock not being as yet consumed; and we had found, by late experience, that the hogs could not be kept alive, nor the roots preserved from putrefaction, many days. However, I intended not to leave this part of the island before I got a supply; as it would not be easy to return to it again, in case it should be found necessary.
We began to be in want on the 30th; and I would have stood in near the shore, but was prevented by a calm; but a breeze springing up, at midnight, from S. and S. W., we were enabled to stand in for the land at day-break. At ten o’clock in the morning, we were met by the islanders with fruit and roots; but in all the canoes were only three small pigs. Our not having bought those which had been lately brought off, may be supposed to be the reason of this very scanty supply. We brought to for the purposes of trade; but soon after our marketing was interrupted by a very hard rain; and, besides, we were rather too far from the shore. Nor durst I go nearer; for I could not depend upon the wind’s remaining where it was for a moment; the swell also being high, and setting obliquely upon the shore, against which it broke in a frightful surf. In the evening the weather mended; the night was clear, and it was spent in making short boards.
Before day-break, the atmosphere was again loaded with heavy clouds; and the new year was ushered in with very hard rain, which continued, at intervals, till past ten o’clock. The wind was southerly; a light breeze, with some calms. When the rain ceased the sky cleared, and the breeze freshened. Being at this time about five miles from the land, several canoes arrived with fruit and roots; and, at last, some hogs were brought off. We lay to, trading with them till three o’clock in the afternoon; when, having a tolerable supply, we made sail, with a view of proceeding to the N. W. or lee-side of the island, to look for the Discovery. It was necessary, however, the wind being at S., to stretch first to the eastward, till midnight, when the wind came more favourable, and we went upon the other tack. For several days past, both wind and weather had been exceedingly unsettled; and there fell a great deal of rain.
The three following days were spent in running down the south-east side of the island. For during the nights we stood off and on; and part of each day was employed in lying to, in order to furnish an opportunity to the natives of trading with us. They sometimes came on board, while we were five leagues from the shore. But whether from a fear of losing their goods in the sea, or from the uncertainty of a market, they never brought much with them. The principal article procured was salt, which was extremely good.