of consequence, and was going to make him a present; but some of their
people would not let me, saying he was no _Areeke_ (that is, chief).
He had his hair always powdered with some kind of white dust.

As we had no wind to sail this afternoon, a party of us went ashore in the
evening. We found the natives everywhere courteous and obliging; so that,
had we made a longer stay, it is probable we should have had no more reason
to complain of their conduct. While I was now on shore, I got the names of
twenty islands, which lie between the N.W. and N.E., some of them in sight.
Two of them, which lie most to the west, viz. Amattafoa and Oghao, are
remarkable on account of their great height. In Amattafoa, which is the
westernmost, we judged there was a volcano, by the continual column of
smoke we saw daily ascending from the middle of it.

Both Mr Cooper and myself being on shore at noon, Mr Wales could not wind
up the watch at the usual time; and, as we did not come on board till late
in the afternoon, it was forgotten till it was down. This circumstance was
of no consequence, as Mr Wales had had several altitudes of the sun at this
place, before it went down; and also had opportunities of taking some
after.

At day-break on the 29th, having got under sail with a light breeze at
west, we stood to the north for the two high islands; but the wind,
scanting upon us, carried us in amongst the low isles and shoals; so that,
we had to ply, to clear them. This gave time for a great many canoes to get
up with us. The people in them brought for traffic various articles; some
roots, fruits, and fowls, but of the latter not many. They took in exchange
small nails, and pieces of any kind of cloth. I believe, before they went
away, they stripped the most of our people of the few clothes the ladies at
Otaheite had left them; for the passion for curiosities was as great as