ULIEPEA, one of the Society islands. This island is about 21 leagues in circuit. Its productions are plantains, cocoa-nuts, yams, hogs, and fowl; the two latter of which are scarce. The soil on the top of one of the hills was found to be a kind of stone
marl; on the sides were found some scattered flints, and a few small pieces of a cavernous or spongy stone lava, of a whitish colour, which seemed to contain some remains of iron, so that it may possibly be here lodged in the mountains in a great quantity. Nothing was seen on this island to distinguish either its inhabitants, or their manners, from the other neighbouring islands. The first Europeans who landed on this shore, were Mr Banks and Dr Solander; they were received by the natives in the most courteous manner, reports concerning them having been their harbingers from O-Taheitee. Every body seemed to fear and respect them, placing in them at the same time the utmost confidence; behaving, as if conscious, that their visitors possessed the power of doing them mischief without a disposition to make use of it.