Eooa, named by Tasman Middleburgh, lies to the south east of Tongataboo, in 21° 24' South Latitude, and SY West Longitude. It is of an oval form, about 12 leagues in circuit, of greater height than any of the neigh bouring islands, and presents a more varied and delightful aspect. The coasts are shaded with a variety of trees, among which the houses and plantations are scattered ; but the interior parts arc little cultivated, and possess a high degree of natural beauty. The south-east side rises im mediately from the sea with great inequalities, and is ra ther hilly, though not mountainous. The plains and mea dows lie towards the north-west, and arc covered with long grass, interspersed with groves of trees at irregular distan ces, with occasional plantations and numerous paths, in every direction, and in beautiful disorder. This island, like Tongataboo, and indeed most of the tropical isles in the Pacific Ocean, is surrounded with coral rocks ; but there is good anchorage, called by Cook, English road, on the north-west side, with convenient landing for boats at all times of the tide.
Annamooka, named Rotterdam by Tasman, lies in 20° 46' South Latitude, and 185° 12' East Longitude. It is a small triangular island, each side of which is nearly four miles in length, and is the most known of a cluster called Arbai. All the rocks and stones are coral, except in one place, where a large mass of calcareous stone, of a yellow ish colour, was observed. In the centre of the island is a salt water lake, about a mile and a half in breadth, which has no apparent communication with the sea ; but there is not a single stream of fresh water to he found in any part of it, and only a few brackish springs too small for wa tering a ship. There is a considerable proportion of waste land on the island : and its inhabitants are much affected with a kind of leprosy, or scrofulous disorder, which attacks the face; hut in its productions, and in other re spects, it greatly resembles Tongataboo.
Hapaee islands, namely I aanno, Foa, Lefooga, and Hoola wa, lie in 19° South Latitude. They are very low land, ex tremely similar to each other in appearance, and each of them about six or seven miles in length. Lefooga, which lies in the centre, is superior in point of cultivation to An namooka, and many of its plantations are inclosed in such a manner, that the fences running parallel to each other form spacious public roads. These islands are joined to each other by a reef of coral rocks, which are dry at low water, when the natives can walk on foot from the one to the other.
Mayorga, a group of islands about 100 miles north- west of Hapaee, was discovered in 1781, by the Spanish navigator Maurelle ; and were visited by Captain Edwards in 1791, who named them Howe's islands.• The largest is nearly as extensive as Tongataboo, fertile and well cultivated, af fording all the vegetable productions of these I aitudes and particularly stored the cloth plant.
Neootabootaboo, and Koota1.6, situated in South Latitude 15° 55', and 173° 48' West Longitude, were discovered by Schouten and Lemaire in 1616. The former is one of the larger islands in these seas, fertile and populous. They
were visited by Captain Wallis in 1767, who called them Keppel's and Boscawen's islands ; and in 1787 by Perouae, with whom the natives traded very freely, but had a more ferocious appearance than the more southern islanders.
Toofoa, or Ainattafon, is situated about 12 leagues north north-west from Annamooka, and is about five leagues in circumference. It is thinly inhabited, but was reported to afford excellent water. It is chiefly remarkable as contain ing a volcano, the smoke of which was seen by Captain Cook at ten leagues distance ; and which was described by the natives of the adjoining islands, as having been observ ed to ascend without intermission as far back as their me mory and traditions could reach. They added, that it sometimes threw up large stones. It was at this island that Captain Bligh, after the mutiny of his crew, attempt. ing with 18 of his people to procure a supply of bread, fruit, and water, was attacked by the natives, who killed one man, and wounded almost every individual of his company.
Three very considerable islands, or rather groups, were described to Captain Cook, larger than any yet mentioned, but they are still very imperfectly known to Europe ans. Their names are Hamoa, Vavaoo, and Feejee. Ha ma°, which is two days sail north-west from Vavaoo, said to he the largest of all the islands, affording safe har bours, good water, and all the refreshments produced in the other places. Vavaoo, or Afootouou, is the name not of one but of a group of islands, of which little is known, except that they are abundantly stored with hogs. Feejee, which is three days sail from Tongataboo, in the direction of north-west by west, and which is surrounded by a clus ter of islands, abounds in hogs, dogs, fowls, and all the fruits and other vegetables found in these islands. Its breed of dogs are very numerous, and from them had been procured the few which were seen at Tongataboo, where they were not introduced till after 1773, and from which they had not been sent to any of the other islands in 1777. The natives of Feejee* are of a darker colour than those of the other friendly islands ; more formidable in war, by their dexterity in the use of bows and slings ; more savage in their manners, especially in the practice of eating the enemies whom they kill in battle; and more ingenious in their articles of workmanship, of which Captain Cook saw several specimens ; such as variegated mats, earthen pots, beautifully chequered cloth, and clubs and spears covered with great ingenuity. These islands of Feejee appear to be the same which Tasman named Prince William's Isles, and were explored both by Captain Bligh in the Providence 1792, and by Captain Wilson in the Duff 1796. They reach northward as far as 15° S3 of Latitude, and south to 19° 15', and lie in West Longitude. Captain Bar ber in the snow Arthur, visited the western part of the group in 1794, and was attacked by a number of the na tives in canoes, who attempted to board the ship, and wounded several of the crew with their arrows.