sail to the northward, leaving this fine island unexamined. It is situated in lat. 21° 57' S., long. 201° 53' E;[1] and is full five leagues in circuit, rising into hills in the interior. The inhabitants resemble the Tahitians and Marquesans, being a stout, well made race. The men had no clothing on their body but a belt and wrapper; most of them wore a kind of turban of white cloth on their head, and sandals on their feet. They salute, like the New Zealanders, by touching noses, in addition to which, they take the hand of the stranger, and rub it upon the nose and mouth. Their island produces plantains, bread-fruit, and taro; but they have neither hogs nor dogs.
In the afternoon of the 30th, our navigators left Mangeea, and next day they came in sight of another island, about the same extent, which was found to bear the name Wateeoo, situated in 20° 1' S. lat., 201° 45' E. long. Here, also, neither anchorage nor a good landing place could be found. On wednesday, April 2nd, three canoes came alongside the Resolution, each containing one man; and the men, with a little persuasion, ventured on board, after an exchange of presents. These having departed, another man came in a canoe with a bunch of plantains, as a present from the principal chief of the island to Captain Cook, whom he asked for by name; having learned his name from Omai, whom he met in a boat with Lieut. Gore. The Captain gave him in return an axe, and a piece of red cloth, with which he paddled back well satisfied. A double canoe next
- ↑ In this voyage, the longitude beyond 180° is not reckoned by its distance west of the meridian of Greenwich, as in Cook's former voyages; but is counted eastward still.
