tes."--G.F.

SECTION III.

_A Description of the Islands and their Produce; with the Cultivation,
Houses, Canoes, Navigation, Manufactures, Weapons, Customs, Government,
Religion, and Language of the Inhabitants._ [1]

These islands were first discovered by Captain Tasman, in January, 1642-3,
and by him called Amsterdam and Middleburg. But the former is called by the
natives Ton-ga-ta-bu, and the latter Ea-oo-wee. They are situated between
the latitude of 21 deg. 29' and 21 deg. 3' south, and between the longitude of 174 deg.
40' and 175 deg. 15' west, deduced from observations made on the spot.

Middleburg, or Eaoowee, which is the southernmost, is about ten leagues in
circuit, and of a height sufficient to be seen twelve leagues. The skirts
of this isle are mostly taken up in the plantations; the S.W. and N.W.
sides especially. The interior parts are but little cultivated, though very
fit for cultivation. However, the want of it added greatly to the beauty of
the isle; for here are, agreeably dispersed, groves of cocoa-nut and other
trees, lawns covered with thick grass, here and there plantations, and
paths leading to every part of the island, in such beautiful disorder, as
greatly enlivens the prospect.[2]

The anchorage, which I named English Road, being the first who anchored
there, is on the N.W. side, in latitude 21 deg. 20' 30" south. The bank is a
coarse sand; it extends two miles from the land, and on it there is from
twenty to forty fathoms water. The small creek before it affords convenient
landing for boats at all times of the tide; which here, as well as at the
other islands, rises about four or five feet, and is high water on the full
and change days about seven o'clock. The island of Tongatabu is shaped
something like an isosceles triangle, the longest sides whereof are seven
leagues each, and the shortest four. It lies nearly in the direction of
E.S.E. and W.N.W.; is nearly all of an equal height, rather low, not
exceeding sixty or eighty feet above the level of the sea. This island, and
also that of Eaoowee, is guarded from the sea by a reef of coral rocks,
extending out from the shore one hundred fathoms more or less. On this reef
the force of the sea is spent before it reaches the land or shore. Indeed,
this is in some measure the situation of all the tropical isles in this sea
that I have seen; and thus nature has effectually secured them from the
encroachments of the sea, though many