CAPTAIN COOK’S SECOND VOYAGE.

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The calm continuing their fituation became (till more dangerous. They were,however, not without hopes of getting round the weftern point of the reef and into thebay, till about two o’clock in the afternoon, when they came before an openingor break in the reef, through which they hoped to get with the fhips. Buton fending to examine it, found there was not a fufficient depth of water j thoughit caufed fuch an indraught of the tide of flood through it, as was very near provingfatal to the Refolution; for as foon as the fhips got into this ftream, they were carriedwith great impetuofity towards the reef. The moment Captain Cook perceived this,he ordered one of the warping machines, which they had" in readinefs, to be carriedout with about four hundred fathoms of rope; but it had not the leafl effect. Thehorrors of fhipwreck now flared them in the face. They were not more than two cableslength from the breakers; and yet they could find no bottom to anchor, the onlyprobable means they had left to fave the fhips. They, however, dropped an anchor }but before it took hold, and brought them up, the fhip was in lefs than three fathomswater, and flruck at every fall of the fea, which broke clofe under their flern in adreadful furf, and threatened them every moment with fhipwreck. The Adventurevery luckily brought up clofe upon their bow without flriking.

They prefently carried out two kedge anchors, with hawfers to each. Thefe foundground a little without the bower, but in what depth they never knew'. By heavingupon them, and cutting away the bower anchor, they got the fhip afloat, where theylay fome time in the greatefl anxiety, expecting every minute that either the kedgeswould come home, or the hawfers be cut in two by the rocks. At length the tideceafed to act in the fame direction. All the boats were ordered to try to tow off theRefolution; and when they faw this was practicable, they hove up the two kedges.At that moment a light air came off from the land, which fo much aflifled the boats,that they foon got clear of all danger. Then they ordered all the boats to aflifl th eAdventure; but before they reached her, file was under fail with the land breeze,leaving behind her three anchors, her coafting cable, and two hawfers, which werenever recovered. Thus they were once more fafe at fea, after narrowly efcapmgbeing wrecked on the very ifland they but a few days before fo ardently wifhed to beat. The calm, after bringing them into this dangerous fituation, very fortunatelycontinued. For had the fea-breeze, as is ufual, fet in, the Refolution mufl inevitablyhave been loft, and probably the Adventure too.

During the time they were in this critical fituation, numbers of the natives were onboard and about the fhips. They feemed to be infenfible of danger, fhewed not theleaft furprize, joy, or fear, when the fhips were flriking, and left them a little befmofun-fet, quite unconcerned. ,

They fpent the night, which proved fqually and rainy, making fhort boards; anthe next morning, being the 17th, they anchored in Oaiti-piha Bay, in twelve fathcun swater, about two cables length from the fhore, both fhips being by this timecrowded with a great number of the natives, who brought with them cocoa-nuts*plantains, bananoes, apples, yams, and other roots, which they exchanged for naiand beads. To feveral who called themfelves chiefs, Captain Cook made prefents ofhirts, axes and feveral other articles; and in return, they promifed to bring hogs anfowls; a promife they never did, nor ever intended to perform. . ,

Early in the morning^ Captain Cook font the two launches, and the Refolutioncutter, under the command of Mr. Gilbert, to endeavour to recover the anchors t yhad left behind them. They returned about noon with the Refolution’s bower ancho *but could not recover any of the Adventure’s. The natives came off again with w u ^1