on this voyage of discovery.

It was seven o'clock when the captain told John Williams that they
must give up the search.

"In an hour's time," said Williams, "we will turn back if we have not
sighted Rarotonga."

So they sailed on. The sun climbed the sky, the cool dawn was giving
way to the heat of day.

"Go up the mast and look ahead," said Williams to a South Sea Island
native. Then he paced the deck, hoping to hear the cry of "Land," but
nothing could the native see.

"Go up again," cried Williams a little later. And again there was
nothing. Four times the man climbed the mast, and four times he
reported only sea and sky and cloud. Gradually the sun's heat had
gathered up the great mountains of cloud, and the sky was clear to the
edge of the ocean. Then there came a sudden cry from the masthead:

"Teie teie, taua fenua, nei!"[17]

"Here, here is the land we have been seeking."

All rushed to the bows. As the ship sailed on and they came nearer,
they saw a lovely island. Mountains, towering peak on peak, with deep
green valleys between brown rocky heights hung with vines, and the
great ocean breakers booming in one white line of foaming surf on the
reef of living coral, made it look like a vision of fairyland.