ard.

Three weeks were spent here with much satisfaction to all. Provisions
were in plenty, the king and people very friendly, and all went well. The
islanders were preparing for an attack on Eimeo, a neighbouring island,
and a gathering of the fleets gave Cook an opportunity of learning much
of their naval power and manner of conducting war. He observed that the
general prosperity of Tahiti seemed to be at a much higher point than on
his former visit.

After another three weeks' stay at Huaheine, and Ulietea, also amongst
old friends, the Resolution sailed on June 4th to the west.

Discovering Palmerston and Savage Islands on the way, she called at
Namuka, one of the Friendly Group, thus extending the knowledge of those
islands gained the year before. Thence Cook sailed west, discovering
Turtle Island, but just passing out of sight to the southward of the
large Fiji Group, and thus lost the chance of adding them to his other
finds.

He was now bound for the New Hebrides, of which the northern island had
been discovered by Quiros. Bougainville, the French explorer, had, in
1768, passed just south of Quiros' Island, and named one or two others he
sighted, but had made no stay, and knew nothing of the extent of the
Group.

This was not Cook's fashion. He explored and circumnavigated the whole
Group, which extends in a long line for three hundred and fifty miles. He
touched first at Mallicolo, where, after a temporary disagreement,
friendship was formed. Passing Sandwich Island, Erromanga was landed
upon; but the suspicion of the natives here impelled them to attack the
boats, and no intercourse was established.

The ship then anchored in the convenient harbour of Resolution Bay in the
island of Tanna, and remained a fortnight, wooding and watering.
Observations on the hot springs that gush from the side of the volcano
bordering the harbour were made, and the relations with the natives were
altogether friendly. Sighting Anityeum, the southern member of the New
Hebrides, and making sure there was nothing beyond it, Cook returned
along the west side of the islands, passing eastward of them again,
between Mallicolo and Espiritu Santo. The latter island was closely
followed round its whole extent, and Quiros' Bay of St. Philip and St.
James identified in the great inlet in the northern side. Having laid
down the whole of this extensive group of islands, and very accurately
fixed the longitude by many lunar observations,