Island; a third, seen next day, was termed Furneaux Island; and a fourth, which was styled Adventure Island, appeared on the 13th: all belonging to the cluster which Bougainville discovered, and which he properly named the Dangerous Archipelago. In the evening of the 13th, Chain Island was seen, discovered in Cook's first voyage; in the morning of the 15th, Maitea, the Osnaburgh Island of Wallis, appeared; and towards evening, Otaheite was descried, to the westward.
Our navigators had for some time been eagerly longing to reach Otaheite; but it sometimes happens, that the most serious dangers await us, where nothing but pleasure was anticipated. Otaheite, so ardently desired by Capt. Cook and his shipmates, nearly proved their ruin. He had determined to anchor first in Oaitipiha Bay, in the southern peninsula, to get such supplies as the place afforded, before proceeding to Matavai: but when the ships were approaching the bay, on monday morning, August 16th, the wind failed, and in spite of the efforts made by the boats to tow the ships off, they were in the utmost danger of striking on the coral reef. At length, when they were opposite an opening in the reef, the flood tide carried them towards it with great impetuosity; a warping machine was presently carried out from the Resolution, but without effect; and as a last resource, though they had found no bottom, an anchor was dropped, which eventually took hold, but not till the ship was in less than three fathoms water, where she struck at every fall of the sea, and was exposed to a dreadful surf. Happily the Adventure brought up near the reef, without striking. The situation of our mariners was now fearfully critical.
