ietea Tupia hath been very
desirous for us to steer to the Westward, and tells us if we will go that
way we shall be with plenty of Islands: the most of them he himself hath
been at, and from the discription he gives of two of them they must be
those discover'd by Capt. Wallace, and by him called Boscawen and
Keppel's Islands, and those do not lay less than 400 Leagues to the
Westward of Ulietea. He says that they are 10 or 12 days in going
thither, and 30 or more in coming Back, and that their Pahies--that is
their large Proes--sails much faster than this Ship. All this I believe
to be true, and therefore they may with Ease sail 40 Leagues a day or
more.

The farthest Island to the Southward that Tupia hath been at, or knows
anything of, lies but 2 days' Sail from Ohetiroa, and is called Moutou,*
(* Tubuai.) but he says that his father once told him that there was
Islands to the Southward of it; but we Cannot find that he either knows
or ever heard of a Continent or large Track of Land. I have no reason to
doubt Tupia's information of these Islands, for when we left Ulietea and
steer'd to the Southward he told us that if we would keep a little more
to the East (which the wind would not permit us to do) we should see
Manua, but as we then steer'd we should see Ohetiroa, which hapned
accordingly. If we meet with the Islands to the Southward he speaks off,
it's well, but if not, I shall spend no more time searching for them,
being now fully resolv'd to stand directly to the Southward in search of
a Continent. Wind Northerly; course South 1/2 East; distance 94 miles;
latitude 24 degrees 1 minute South, longitude 150 degrees 37 minutes
West; at noon, Ohetiroa North 1/2 West, 31 leagues; variation 6 degrees 7
minutes East.

NOTE. As we advanced to the Southward into Cold weather, and a troubled
Sea, the Hogs we got at Ulietea began to die apace. They cannot endure
the least cold, nor will they hardly eat anything but vegetables, so that
they are not at all to be depended upon at Sea. The fowls also have a
complaint general among them which affects their heads, so that they
continue holding it down betwixt their Legs until they die; this at least
was the fate of most of ours. This is necessary to be known to those who
come such Voyages as these, least they place too much dependance on the
live stock they get at the Islands.

Wednesday, 16th. Fresh breezes and Cloudy the first part; in the night,
Squally, with rain; remaind