information was one of Tootaha's Servants. He was Offer'd a Hatchet if he would go to Apparra and bring him to us. This was perhaps the very thing he came for, for he immediately set out and return'd with the Man in the Evening. The man said in his defence that as he was going to the Boat to go on board last night, he was taken away by force by 3 Men, and upon enquiring farther into this matter I found it to be so, and that Tootaha wanted to have kept him, only that he was perswaided to the contrary, or perhaps he thought that the Hatchet he would get by returning him would do him more service than the Man.
| Saturday, 24th. Sunday, 25th. |
Nothing remarkable. |
Monday, 26th.—Very early this morning I set out in the pinnace, accompanied by Mr. Banks, with an intent to make the Circuit of the Island in order to Examine and draw a Sketch of the Coast and Harbours thereof. We took our rout to the Eastward, and this night reached the Isthmus, which is a low neck of Land running across the Island, which divides it into two districts or Governments wholly independent of each other as we was informed. The first thing we saw which struck our attention in this day's rout was a small Pig that had not been roasted above a Day or 2 laid upon one of their Altars near to a place where lay the Body or Bones of a Dead Person. This Pig must have been put their as an offering to their God, but on what account we know not. The Coast from Royal Bay trends E. by S. and E.S.E. 10 miles S. by E. and S. 11 miles to the Isthmus. In the first direction the Shore is mostly open to the Sea, but in the last it is cover'd by reefs of rocks; these forms several good Harbours, wherein are safe Anchorage for Shipping in 16, 18, 20, and 24 fathoms, with other Conveniences. It was in one of these Harbours the Spanish Ships before mentioned lay; the Natives shew'd us the place where they Pitched their Tent and the Brook they water'd at, otherways there was not the least signs of Shipping having been there.
Tuesday, 27th.—Winds Easterly and fine weather. It was late last night before we reached the Isthmus, and all the Observations I could make this morning was that it appeared to be a Marshey flatt of about 2 miles in Extent aCross which the Natives Haul their Canoes partly by land and partly by water. From the Isthmus the land trends East Southerly near 3 Leagues, to the S.E. point of the Great Bay which lies before the Isthmus. On the west side of this point is a Bay called Ohitepepa, which is in many respects similar to Royal Bay, and is situated in every bit as fertile and populous part of the Island. There are other places formed by the Reefs that lay along the Shore between this and the Isthmus, where Shipping can lay in perfect security. The Land then trends
