A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
[Footnote 43: Ulietea, or Reiadea, is nearly twice the size of Huaheine,
and bears a still more striking resemblance to Otaheite. Its importance
was once very great among these islands, but this and its population
have much declined, in consequence of an unsuccessful war it carried on
with the people of Bolabola, aided by those of Otaha. The distressed
inhabitants fled in great numbers to Otaheite, and having obtained some
reinforcement, ventured to attack their conquerors in Huaheine, where
they had also carried their victorious arms. They succeeded in this
attack, which was conducted with much caution and prudence; but they
were never able to recover possession of their own island. The people of
Otaha were soon afterwards subdued by their own allies of Bolabola, by
much the most formidable and warlike of all these people, and said to be
descended from persons who had been banished for their crimes from the
neighbouring islands. Bolabola we shall find was not landed on by Capt.
Cook, in consequence of his being on that side of it, where there is no
harbour. It was touched at by him in a boat when he last visited this
cluster, and Capt. Edwards went ashore there in 1791. It is of a rude,
barren appearance, especially on the eastern side, and is easily known
by its lofty double-peaked mountain. The warriors of Bolabola are
differently punctured from all the other people in these islands, and
are the terror of the whole neighbourhood. Otaha, which is about four
leagues to the south-west of Bolabola, and is subject to it, though
superior in size, scarcely merits any notice additional to the text. It
is neither fertile nor populous, and being but about two miles from
Ulietea, presents no inducements to Europeans. Capt. Edwards examined it
in 1791. A material advantage it has in two very good harbours, as will
soon be mentioned.--E.]
We were now again at sea, without having received any interruption from
the hostile inhabitants of Bolabola, whom, notwithstanding the fears of
Tupia, we intended to visit. At four o'clock in the afternoon of the
25th, we were within a league of Otaha, which bore N. 77° W. To the
northward of the south end of that island, on the east side of it, and
something more than a mile from the shore, lie two small islands, called
_Toahoutu_ and _Whennuia_; between which Tupia says, there is a channel
into a very good harbour, which lies within the reef, and appearances
confirmed his report.
As I discovered a broad channel between Otaha and Bolabola, I determined
rather to go through it, than run to the northward of all; but the wind
being right a-head, I got no ground.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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