1st of March, during a run of six hundred and sixty leagues, there was
no current which affected the ship. Hence it was highly probable that
our navigators had been near no land of any considerable extent,
currents being always found when land is not remote.

In the prosecution of Lieutenant Cook's voyage from Cape Horn to
Otaheite, several islands were discovered, to which the names were
given of Lagoon Island, Thrump-cap, Bow Island, The Groups, Bird
Island, and Chain Island. It appeared that most of these islands were
inhabited; and the verdure, and groves of palm-trees, which were
visible upon some of them, gave them the aspect of a terrestrial
paradise to men who, excepting the dreary hills of Terra del Fuego,
had seen nothing for a long time but sky and water.

On the 11th of April, the Endeavour arrived in sight of Otaheite, and
on the 13th she came to an anchor in Port Royal Bay, which is called
MATAVIA by the natives. As the stay of the English in the island was
not likely to be very short, and much depended on the manner in which
traffic should be carried on with the inhabitants, Lieutenant Cook,
with great good sense and humanity, drew up a set of regulations for
the behaviour of his people, and gave it in command that they should
punctually be observed.[5]

[Footnote 5: The rules were as follow: '1. To endeavour, by every
fair means, to cultivate a friendship with the natives: and to
treat them with all imaginable humanity. 2. A proper person or
persons will be appointed to trade with the natives for all manner
of provisions, fruit, and other productions of the earth; and no
officer or seaman, or other person belonging to, the ship
excepting such as are so appointed, shall trade, or offer to