These people seemed to differ as much in person as in disposition from the natives of Wateeoo, though the distance between the two islands is not very great. Their colour was of a deeper cast; and several had a fierce, rugged aspect, resembling the natives of New Zealand, but some were fairer. They had strong black hair, which, in general, they wore either hanging loose about the shoulders, or tied in a bunch on the crown of the head. Some, however, had it cropped pretty short; and in two or three of them it was of a brown or reddish colour. Their only covering was a narrow piece of mat, wrapt several times round the lower part of the body, and which passed between the thighs; but a fine cap of red feathers was seen lying in one of the canoes. The shell of a pearl-oyster polished, and hung about the neck, was the only ornamental fashion that we observed amongst them, for not one of them had adopted that mode of ornament so generally prevalent amongst the natives of this ocean, of puncturing, or tatooing, their bodies.
Though singular in this, we had the most unequivocal proofs of their being of the same common race. Their language approached still nearer to the dialect of Otaheite than that of Wateeoo or Mangeea. Like the inhabitants of these two islands, they enquired from whence our ships came, and whither bound, who was our chief, the number of our men on board, and even the ship's name. And they very readily answered such questions as we proposed to them. Amongst other things, they told us they had seen two great ships like ours before, but that they had not spoken with them as they sailed past. There can be no doubt that these were the Resolution and Adventure. We learnt from them, that the name of their island is Terouggemon Atooa, and that they were subject to Teerevatooeah, king of Wateeoo.[155] According to the account that they gave, their articles of food are cocoa-nuts, fish, and turtle; the island not producing plantains, or bread-fruit, and being destitute of hogs and dogs. Their canoes, of which near thirty were, at one time, in sight, are pretty large, and well built. In the construction of the stern, they bear some resemblance to those of Wateeoo; and the head projects out nearly in the same manner, but the extremity is turned up instead of down.
[Footnote 155: The reader will observe, that this name bears little affinity to anyone of the names of the three chiefs of Wateeoo, as preserved by Mr Anderson.--D.]
Having but very little wind, it was one o'clock before we drew near the N.W. part of the island, the only part where there seemed to be any probability of finding anchorage for our ships, or a landing-place for our boats. In this position I sent Lieutenant King, with two armed boats, to sound and reconnoitre the coast, while we stood off and on with the ships. The instant the boats were hoisted out, our visitors in the canoes, who had remained alongside all the while, bartering their little trifles, suspended their traffic, and, pushing for the shore as fast as they could, came near us no more.
At three o'clock the boats returned, and Mr King informed me, "That there was no anchorage for the ships, and that the boats could only land on the outer edge of the reef, which lay about a quarter of a mile from the dry land. He said that a number of the natives came down upon the reef, armed with long pikes and clubs, as if they intended to oppose his landing. And yet, when he drew near enough, they threw some cocoa-nuts to our people, and invited them to come on shore, though, at the very same time, he observed that the women were very busy bringing down a fresh supply of spears and darts. But, as he had no motive to land, he did not give them an opportunity to use them."
Having received this report, I considered, that, as the ships could not be brought to an anchor, we should find that the attempt to procure grass here would occasion much delay, as well as be attended with some danger. Besides, we were equally in want of water; and though the inhabitants had told us that there was water on their island, yet we neither knew in what quantity, nor from what distance we might be obliged to fetch it. And, after all, supposing no other obstruction, we were sure, that to get over the reef would be an operation equally difficult and tedious.
Being thus disappointed at all the islands we had met with since our leaving New Zealand, and the unfavourable winds, and other unforeseen circumstances, having unavoidably retarded our progress so much, it was now impossible to think of doing any thing this year in the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, from which we were still at so great a distance, though the season for our operations there was already begun. In this situation it was absolutely necessary to pursue such measures as were most likely to preserve the cattle we had on board in the first place; and, in the next place, (which was still a more capital object,) to save the stores and provisions of the ships, that we might be better enabled to prosecute our northern discoveries, which could not now commence till a year later than was originally intended.
If I had been so fortunate as to have procured a supply of water and of grass at any of the islands we had lately visited, it was my purpose to have stood back to the S. till I had met with a westerly wind. But the certain consequence of doing this, without such a supply, would have been the loss of all the cattle, before we could possibly reach Otaheite, without gaining any one advantage with regard to the great object of our voyage.
I therefore determined to bear away for the Friendly Islands, where I was sure of meeting with abundance of every thing I wanted; and it being necessary to run in the night as well as in the day, I ordered Captain Clerke to keep about a league a-head of the Resolution. I used this precaution because his ship could best claw off the land; and it was very possible we might fall in with some in our passage.
The longitude of Hervey's Island, when first discovered, deduced from Otaheite, by the time-keeper, was found to be 201° 6' E., and now, by the same time-keeper, deduced from Queen Charlotte's Sound, 200° 56' E. Hence I conclude, that the error of the time-keeper, at this time, did not exceed twelve miles in longitude.