In heaving in the coasting cable, it parted in the middle of its length, being chaffed by the rocks. By this accident we lost the other half, together with the anchor, which lay in forty fathoms water, without any buoy to it. The best bower cable suffered also by the rocks; by which a judgment may be formed of this anchorage. At ten o’clock we got under sail; but as our decks were much encumbered with fruit, &c. we kept plying under the land till they were cleared. The supplies we got at this isle were about one hundred and fifty pigs, twice that number of fowls, as many bananoes and cocoa-nuts as we could find room for, with a few yams; and had our stay been longer, we, no doubt, might have got a great deal more. This, in some degree, shews the fertility of the island, of which, together with the neighbouring one of Middleburg, I shall now give a more particular account. CHAP. 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. 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-we. They are situated between the latitude of 21° 29ʹ and 21° 3ʹ south, and between the longitude of 174° 40ʹ and 175° 15ʹ west, deduced from observations made on the spot. Middleburg, or Eaoowe, 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.