Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-06-19

SIfuateO IN idt 81 ~, .. sous s1o :,
Tue barhor most visited is on The nortl
eide. and is called Msisvai, ProDouncet
Nstav we Matsvai Bay is bounded n
by Point Venus, and T. and s. BY the DIS
rct OF Pare About halt mile N. +
rom the above point. there is shoai
miles in length, and about The same dis
lance from the shore; over which, howe
yer, the water never breaks, there beina
l5 feet in the shsIlowest part. Just with
in the entrance On the N side OF the bay
there is another reel called Dolphin Bank
which is visible from . ships deck, ano
in boisterous weather he surf breaks upor
it, The Bay Of Matavai is open TO the
wind and sea from the w. and s.; bu
The anchorage is good. Four miles s. W
OF Malava. there is o small bay called
Taoni; but the entrance is narrow, and
the bsfbor. unless well know0, .is scarce.
fy capacious enough for large vessels. L
is most frequently resorted TO BY small
craft belonging 10 the islanders, or vessels
trading from New South Wales. Three
miles farther TO the S. w. or about seven
miles from Matavai, is another harbor
called Pspeete, which has recently been
much visited. It's very capacIous, quite
secure from any swell Of the sea, and com.
modious for heaving vessel down. Or
performing other repairs; the bottom is
good, and watering is also convenient. -
The entrance is by al opening in the
reefs sufficiently large tor any vessel 10
der 500 tons A small island with cocoa
nut and other trees upon u, stands on lbe
N. side Of the entrance. forming very
good mark for vessels making the barbor,
either run The n. or S. These are the
principal harbors visited by ships touching
al Tahiti.
Eimeo is the next OF The Society Islands,
and is situated due west oil Tahiti, from
which 1t is separated by stat, lz or IA
miles wide. IL has several good bsrbours;
there is one on the N. called Cooks Hsr.
Dor, but the best is Opunoho, called 10
the chars Taboo Harbor; ibis is on the n
W. part OF Eimeo, 81 miles IRON Mslsysi
HIRE vessels are perfectly secure rom
wind and sea; can re6t, water and pro.
cure -upplles with E -eat facility.
Hnaheixe, bearing nearIy N. W from
Eimeo, IS about sixty. five miles distant
On the western side IS fine bsrbor called
Fare Harbor, (spelt by Cook Oarharrs.
which has two entrances, N. T. S the Tor.
her OF which is The best. Across the
mouth is bar or reel, where vessel. may
bring up 10 Is to II tathoms water, randy
bottom. On this bar, which il parity q.
bove water, The natives may be seen
searching for shells. &c. The harbor IS
perfectly secure. being on the Reward
side Of the island; il is also capacious, and
afford. every convenience tor repairing
or beaving down ship. Water IS near
at hand, being supplied by river from
the mountains, which emptIes itself into
the southern part OF the harbot All O.
Their supplies are procursble during most
seasons Of the year. Vans can be obtain.
ed from November TO March generally.
The whole island is surrounded by mar.
row coral reef, within which the natives
catch the finest fish in great plenty
There are two principal inlets running
from the harbot ore or two miles inland,
wherein The water is from ten 10 twelve
la,homs deep, with a bold shore, sfording
excellent situations Tor hesving vessels
down. This island ID divided near the
middle by shallow creek, which runs
entirely through from N w TO S. e. A
char, OF The island and barber has been
LEFT with Us, which any one is at liberty
TO inspect.
Raiaten and Tahda are both included
in one !eet, though there is channel about
tour miles wide between them, afOrding
a passage orvessels. On The E. side of
hi, e k,r hat q.
not much visited, that being the wlndWard
side.
10 Raiatea there are several good har.
bors, the primo ipal OF which is Hamdniiao
on Tie N. w. side Most vessels going
tbitber enter the reefs on the E. side. eli.
ther at Itavapah or I onsahahosu, and thro'
the channel between Raiatea and Tahss.
On the N. w., opposite the barbor, is a
Y lde opening by which vessels generally
20 GU, from Hsmaniino. The harbor is
smaller than some OF the others, but is per-
iectly secure and equally commodious 10
every respect. A good mark by which TO
know il, IS a small island on the reef at The
N. side of leewsrd entrance, nearly OPP
po.ite the harbor. These are probably ID.
islands, which are called in Worcester's
UHetea and Otahd.
Borsbors sometimes speit BOlabola, lies
about IL or 10 miles N. w ny N OF Raia-
Tea, and contains spacious and safe bar
Dor on the w side-the entrance 10 which
IS from the N w. having long point, CO.
yered with cocoa nut trees on the N and
q large island on the S w. side OF il. Sup
plies may very readily be procured at this
place though watering is said 10 be more
difficult than at the other islands North
Of this island, distant l2 miles, is the island
Of TsbsZ, called by Worcester Tabsi.-
The best Of ba:bors among those islands
are thought to be Papeete in Tahiti, TaIoo
in Eimeo, and Fare in Huaheine.
The winds which generally prevail are
from the eastward, which is the regular
trade Il varies occasionally from N N f..