CHAP. X. THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHIPS AT OTAHEITE, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE CRITICAL SITUATION THEY WERE IN, AND OF SEVERAL INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED WHILE THEY LAY IN OAITI-PIHA BAY. On the 15th, at five o’clock in the morning, we saw Osnaburg Island or Maitea, discovered by Captain Wallis, bearing S. by W. 1/2 W. Soon after I brought to, and waited for the Adventure to come up with us, to acquaint Captain Furneaux, that it was my intention to put into Oaiti-piha Bay, near the S. E. end of Otaheite, in order to get what refreshments we could from that part of the island, before we went down to Matavai. This done, we made sail, and at six in the evening saw the island bearing west. We continued to stand on till midnight, when we brought to, till four o’clock in the morning; and then made sail in for the land with a fine breeze at east. At day-break we found ourselves not more than half a league from the reef. The breeze now began to fail us, and at last fell to a calm. This made it necessary to hoist out our boats to tow the ships off; but all their efforts were not sufficient to keep them from being carried near the reef. A number of the inhabitants came off in canoes from different parts, bringing with them a little fish, a few cocoa-nuts, and other fruits, which they exchanged for nails, beads, etc. The most of them knew me again; and many enquired for Mr. Banks and others who were with me before; but not one asked for Tupia. As the calm continued, our situation became still more dangerous. We were, however, not without hopes of getting round the western point of the reef and into the bay, till about two o’clock in the afternoon, when we came before an opening or break in the reef, through which I hoped to get with the ships. But on sending to examine it, I found there was not a sufficient depth of water; though it caused such an indraught of the tide of flood through it, as was very near proving fatal to the Resolution; for as soon as the ships got into this stream, they were carried with great impetuosity towards the reef. The moment I perceived this, I ordered one of the warping machines, which we had in readiness, to be carried out with about four hundred fathoms of rope; but it had not the least effect. The horrors of shipwreck now stared us in the face. We were not more than two cables’ length from the breakers; and yet we could find no bottom to anchor, the only probable means we had left to save the ships. We however dropt an anchor; but, before it took hold, and brought us up, the ship was in less than three fathoms water, and struck at every fall of the sea, which broke close under our stern in a dreadful surf, and threatened us every moment with shipwreck. The Adventure, very luckily, brought up close upon our bow without striking.