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Updated: July 17, 2025
Cook here landed, as at other places, goats and hogs, in hopes that the archipelago would in a few years be stocked with all the valuable domestic animals of Europe. Sailing from Bolabola on the 8th of December, he steered northward, and on the 24th saw a low island, of barren appearance, to which the name of "Christmas Island" was given.
During the hours of instruction other engagements were suspended, and the various scenes of busy occupation throughout the settlements forsaken. Such was the picture to be seen at that time in several islands of the Society group. Borabora, or Bolabola, whose inhabitants in Cook's time had been the fiercest warriors of the neighbouring islands, yielded to the benign influence of the Gospel.
The object of Tupia appeared to be that of showing his resentment against the king of that island, as well as of exhibiting the power of his new allies. To the six islands which had been visited or seen, namely, Ulietea, Otaha, Bolabola, Huaheine, Tubai, and Maurua, Captain Cook gave the name of the Society Islands.
As soon as the Boat was hoisted in we made Sail to the Northward, and at 8 o'Clock a.m. were close under the Peak of Bolabola, but as we could not weather the Island, we Tack'd and stood off until near Noon, then Tack'd again and stood to the South-West.
In the accompanying sketch, taken from the "Voyage of the 'Coquille'," the reef is seen from within, from one of the high peaks of the island of Bolabola. This is a circumstance of rare occurrence; more usually a snow-white line of great breakers, with here and there an islet crowned by cocoa-nut trees, separates the smooth waters of the lagoon-like channel from the waves of the open sea.
P.M. made several Trips before we could weather the South end of Bolabola, which at last we accomplished between 7 and 8 o'Clock, and stood off South-South-West until 12 at night, then Tack'd and stood in until 4 a.m., then stood off again; but meeting with a large swell from the Southward, against which the Ship made little or no way, at 8 we tack'd and stood in Shore again.
The master reported, that the harbour was safe and commodious, with good anchorage from twenty-five to sixteen fathom water, clear ground. As soon as the boat was hoisted in, I made sail to the northward, and at eight o'clock in the morning of the 29th, we were close under the Peak of Bolabola, which was high, rude, and craggy.
We were told by Tupia, who had always expressed much fear of the men of Bolabola, that they had made a conquest of this island; and that, if we remained here, they would certainly come down to-morrow, and fight us. We determined, therefore, to go on shore without delay, while the day was our own.
At any rate, the step thus taken caused great consternation among the natives, many of whom, including many women, came off in canoes under the stern of the ship, and bewailed the captivity of the king's daughter. Oreo, on his part, quickly aroused himself, and sent off canoes to Bolabola and elsewhere to find the fugitives.
The following sketch represents part of the barrier encircling the island of Bolabola in the Pacific, as seen from one of the central peaks.
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