bounded on each side by a ridge of hills, one of which, that to the west, is very high, and double, extending the whole length of the island. An uncommonly luxuriant vegetation was everywhere to be seen; the sides of the hills were checkered with plantations, and every valley watered by a stream. Of all the productions of nature this country was adorned with, the cocoa-nut trees were the most conspicuous. The columns of smoke we saw by day, and the fires by night, all over the country, led us to believe that it is well inhabited and very fertile. The east point of this bay, which I name Cape Quiros, in memory of its first discoverer, is situated in latitude 14° 56' south, longitude 167° 13' east. The N. W. point, which I named Cape Cumberland, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke, lies in the latitude of 14° 38' 45" south, longitude 166° 49' east, and is the N.W. extremity of this archipelago; for, after doubling it, we found the coast to trend gradually round to the S. and S.S.E.

In

On the 28th and 29th we had light airs and calms, so that we advanced but little. this time we took every opportunity, when the horizon was clearer than usual, to look out for more land; but none was seen. By Quiros's track to the north, after leaving the bay above mentioned, it seems probable that there is none nearer than Queen Charlotte's Island, discovered by Captain Carteret, which lies about ninety leagues N.N.W. from Cape Cumberland, and I take to be the same with Quiros's Santa Cruz. On the 30th the calm was succeeded by fresh breeze at S.S.E., which enabled us to ply up the coast. At noon we observed in 15° 20′; afterwards we stretched in east, to within a mile of the shore, and then tacked, in seventy-five fathoms, before a sandy flat, on which several of the natives made their appearance. We observed, on the sides of the hills, several plantations that were laid out by line, and fenced round. On the 31st, at noon, the S. or S. W. point of the island bore N. 62° east, distant four leagues. This forms the N.W. point of what I call Bougainville's Passage; the N.E. point, at this time, bore N. 85° east, and the N.W. end of Mollicollo from S. 54° east to S. 72° east. Latitude observed, 15° 45' S. In the afternoon, in stretching to the east, we weathered the S.W. point of the island, from which the coast trends east northerly. It is low, and seemed to form some creeks or coves; and, as we got farther into the passage, we perceived some small low isles lying along it, which seemed to

extend behind St. Bartholomew Island.

Having now finished the survey of the whole archipelago, the season of the year made it necessary for me to return to the south, while I had yet some time left to explore any land I might meet with between this and New Zealand; where I intended to touch, that I might refresh my people, and recruit our stock of wood and water for another southern course. With this view, at five P.M. we tacked, and hauled to the southward, with a fresh gale at S.E. At this time the N.W. point of the passage, or the S. W. point of the island Tierra del Espiritu Santo, the only remains of Quiros's continent, bore N. 82° west, distant three leagues. I named it Cape Lisburne, and its situation is in latitude 15° 40', longitude 165° 59′ east.

The foregoing account of these islands, in the order in which we explored them, not being particular enough either as to situation or description, it may not be improper now to give a more accurate view of them, which, with the chart, will convey to the reader a better idea of the whole group.

The northern islands of this archipelago were first discovered by that great navigator, Quiros, in 1606; and, not without reason, were considered as part of the southern continent, which, at that time, and until very lately, was supposed to exist. They were next visited by M. de Bougainville, in 1768; who, besides landing on the Isle of Lepers, did no more than discover that the land was not connected, but composed of islands, which he called the Great Cyclades. But as, besides ascertaining the extent and situation of these islands, we added to them several new ones which were not known before, and explored the whole, I think we have obtained a right to name them; and shall in future distinguish them by the name of the New Hebrides. They are situated between the latitude of 14° 29' and 20° 4′ south, and between 166° 41' and 170° 21' east longitude, and extend an hundred and twenty-five leagues in the direction of N.N. W. west, and S.S. E. east.

The most northern island is that called by M. de Bougainville Peak of the Etoile. It is

The

situated, according to his account, in latitude 14° 29', longitude 168° 9′; and, N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora. The next island, which lies farthest north, is that of Tierra del Espiritu Santo. It is the most western and largest of all the Hebrides, being twenty-two leagues long, in the direction of N.N. W. west, and S.S.E.east, twelve in breadth, and sixty in circuit. We have obtained the true figure of this island very accurately. land of it, especially the west side, is exceedingly high and mountainous; and, in many places, the hills rise directly from the sea. Except the cliffs and beaches, every other part is covered with wood, or laid out in plantations. Besides the Bay of St. Philip and St. Jago, the isles which lie along the south and east coast cannot, in my opinion, fail of forming some good bays or harbours.

The next considerable island is that of Mallicollo, to the S.E. It extends N.W. and S.E., and is eighteen leagues long in that direction. Its greatest breadth, which is at the S.E. end, is eight leagues. The N.W. end is two-thirds this breadth; and nearer the middle, one-third. This contraction is occasioned by a wide and pretty deep bay on the S.W. side. To judge of this island from what we saw of it, it must be very fertile and well inhabited. The land on the sea-coast is rather low, and lies with a gentle slope from the hills which are in the middle of the island. Two-thirds of the N.E. coast were only seen at a great distance; therefore the delineations of it on the chart can have no pretensions to accuracy; but the other parts, I apprehend, are without any material errors. St. Bartholomew lies between the S.E. end of Tierra del Espiritu Santo, and the north end of Mallicollo; and the distance between it and the latter is eight miles. This is the passage through which M. de Bougainville went; and the middle of it is in latitude 15° 48'. The Isle of Lepers lies between Espiritu Santo and Aurora Island, eight leagues from the former, and three from the latter, in latitude 15° 22′, and nearly under the same meridian as the S.E. end of Mallicollo. It is of an egg-like figure, very high, and eighteen or twenty leagues in circuit. Its limits were determined by several bearings; but the lines of the shore were traced out by guess, except the N.E. part, where is anchorage half a mile from the land.

Aurora, Whitsuntide, Ambrym, Paoom, and its neighbour Apee, Threehills, and Sandwich Islands, lie all nearly under the meridian of 167° 29' or 30' east, extending from the latitude of 14° 51′ 30′′, to 17° 53′ 30′′. The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and S. by E., and is eleven leagues long in that direction; but I believe it hardly anywhere exceeds two or two and a half in breadth. It hath a good height, its surface hilly, and everywhere covered with wood, except where the natives have their dwellings and plantations. Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half to the south of Aurora, is of the same length, and lies in the direction of north and south, but is something broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, and clothed with wood, except such parts as seemed to be cultivated, which were pretty numerous.

From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the north side of Ambrym is two leagues and a half. This is about seventeen leagues in circuit; its shores are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal ascent to a tolerably high mountain in the middle of the island, from which ascended great columns of smoke; but we were not able to determine whether this was occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is fertile and well inhabited seems probable, from the quantities of smoke which we saw rise out of the woods, in such parts of the island as came within the compass of our sight; for it must be observed, that we did not see the whole of it. We saw much less still of Paoom, and its neighbourhood. I can say no more of this island than that it towers up to a great height, in the form of a round haystack; and the extent of it, and of the adjoining isle (if there are two) cannot exceed three or four leagues in any direction; for the distance between Ambryn and Apee is hardly five; and they lie in this space, and east from Port Sandwich, distant about seven or eight leagues. The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues in circuit; its longest direction is about eight leagues N.W. and S.E.; it is of considerable height, and hath a hilly surface, diversified with woods and lawns, the west and south parts especially; for the others we did not see.

Shepherd's Isles are a group of small ones of unequal size, extending off from the S.E. point of A pee about five leagues, in the direction of S. E. The island Threehills lies south four

leagues from the coast of Apee, and S.E. S., distant seventeen leagues from Port Sandwich to this, and what has been already said of it, I shall only add, that W. by N., five miles from the west point, is a reef of rocks on which the sea continually breaks.

Nine leagues, in the direction of south, from Threehills, lies Sandwich Island. Twohills, the Monument, and Montagu Islands, lie to the east of this line, and Hinchinbrook to the west, as also two or three small isles which lie between it and Sandwich Island, to which they are connected by breakers. Sandwich Island is twenty-five leagues in circuit; its greatest extent is ten leagues; and it lies in the direction of N.W. by W., and S.E. by E. The N.W. coast of this island we only viewed at a distance; therefore the chart in this part may be faulty, so far as it regards the line of the coast, but no farther. The distance from the south end of Mallicollo to the N.W. end of Sandwich Island is twenty-two leagues in the direction of S.S.E. E.

In the same direction lie Erromango, Tanna, and Annattom. The first is eighteen leagues from Sandwich Island, and is twenty-four or twenty-five leagues in circuit. The middle of it lies in the latitude of 18° 54', longitude 169° 19′ E., and it is of a good height, as may be gathered from the distance we were off when we first saw it. Tanna lies six leagues from the south side of Erromango, extending S.E. by S. and N.W. by N., about eight leagues long in that direction, and everywhere about three or four leagues broad.

The Isle of Immer lies in the direction of N. by E. E., four leagues from Port Resolution in Tanna; and the island of Erronan or Footoona east, in the same direction, distant eleven leagues. This, which is the most eastern island of all the Hebrides, did not appear to be above five leagues in circuit, but of a considerable height, and flat at top. On the N.E. side is a little peak, seemingly disjoined from the isle, but we thought it was connected by low land. Annattom, which is the southernmost island, is situated in the latitude of 20° 3', longitude 170° 4', and S. 30° E., eleven or twelve leagues from Port Resolution. It is of a good height, with a hilly surface; and more I must not say of it. Here follow the lunar observations by Mr. Wales, for ascertaining the longitude of these islands, reduced by the watch to Port Sandwich in Mallicollo and Port Resolution in Tanna.

It is necessary to observe, that each set of observations, consisting of between six and ten observed distances of the sun and moon, or moon and stars, the whole number amounts to several hundreds; and these have been reduced, by means of the watch, to all the islands; so that the longitude of each is as well ascertained as that of the two ports above mentioned. As a proof of this, I shall only observe, that the longitude of the two ports, as pointed out by the watch and by the observations, did not differ two miles. This also shows what degree of accuracy these observations are capable of, when multiplied to a considerable number, made with different instruments, and with the sun and stars, on both sides of the By this last method, the errors, which may be either in the instruments or lunar tables, destroy one another, and likewise those which may arise from the observer himself; for some men may observe closer than others. If we consider the number of observations that may be obtained in the course of a month (if the weather is favourable), we shall perhaps find this method of finding the longitude of places as accurate as most others; at least, it is the most easy, and attended with the least expense to the observer. Every ship that goes to foreign parts is, or may be, supplied with a sufficient number of quadrants at a small expense; I mean good ones, proper for making these observations. For the difference of the price between a good and bad one, I apprehend, can never be an

moon.

object with an officer. The most expensive article, and what is in some measure necessary in order to arrive at the utmost accuracy, is a good watch; but for common use, and where that strict accuracy is not required, this may be dispensed with. I have observed before, in this journal, that this method of finding the longitude is not so difficult but that any man, with proper application, and a little practice, may soon learn to make these observations as well as the astronomers themselves. I have seldom known any material difference between the observations made by Mr. Wales, and those made by the officers at the same time *.

By the

In observing the variation of the magnetic needle, we found, as usual, our compasses differ among themselves, sometimes near 2o; the same compass, too, would sometimes make nearly this difference in the variation on different days, and even between the morning and evening of the same day, when our change of situation has been but very little. mean of the observations which I made about Erromango, and the S.E. part of these islands, the variation of the compass was 10° 5′ 48′′ east ; and the mean of those made about Tierra del Espiritu Santo gave 10° 5' 30" east. This is considerably more than Mr. Wales found it to be at Tanna. I cannot say what might occasion this difference in the variation observed at sea and on shore, unless it be influenced by the land; for I must give the preference to that found at sea, as it is agreeable to what we observed before we made the islands, and after we left them.

CHAPTER VIII. AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF NEW CALEDONIA, AND THE INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED WHILE THE SHIP LAY IN BALADE.

Ar sunrise on the 1st of September, after having stood to S.W. all night, no more land was to be seen. The wind remaining in the S.E. quarter, we continued to stand to S.W. On the 2nd, at five o'clock P.M., being in the latitude 18° 22′, longitude 165o 26, the variation was 10° 50′ east; and at the same hour on the 3rd, it was 10° 51', latitude at that time 19o 14', longitude 165° east. The next morning, in the latitude of 19° 49′, longitude 164° 53', the amplitude gave 10° 21', and the azimuths 10° 7' east. At eight o'clock, as we were steering to the south, land was discovered bearing S.S.W., and at noon it extended from S.S.E. to W. by S., distant about six leagues. We continued to steer for it with a light breeze at east, till five in the evening, when we were stopped by a calm. At this time we were three leagues from the land, which extended from S.E. by S. to W. by N., round by the S.W. Some openings appeared in the west, so that we could not tell whether it was one connected land or a group of islands. To the S.E. the coast seemed to terminate in a high promontory, which I named Cape Colnett, after one of my midshipmen, who first discovered this land. Breakers were seen about half-way between us and the shore; and, behind them, two or three canoes under sail, standing out to sea, as if their design had been to come off to us; but a little before sunset they struck their sails, and we saw them no more. After a few hours' calm, we got a breeze at S.E., and spent the night standing off and on.

On the 5th, at sunrise, the horizon being clear, we could see the coast extend to the S.E. of Cape Colnett, and round by the S. W. to N.W. by W. Some gaps or openings were yet to be scen to the west; and a reef, or breakers, seemed to lie all along the coast, connected with those we discovered the preceding night. It was a matter of indifference to me whether we plied up the coast to the S.E. or bore down to N.W. I chose the latter; and after running two leagues down the outside of the reef (for such it proved), we came before an opening that had the appearance of a good channel, through which we might go in for the land. Ĭ wanted to get at it, not only to visit it, but also to have an opportunity to observe an eclipse of the sun which was soon to happen. With this view we brought to, hoisted out two armed boats, and sent them to sound the channel, ten or twelve large sailing canoes being then near us. We had observed them coming off from the shore, all the morning, from different parts; and some were lying on the reef, fishing as we supposed. As soon as

* See page 443.

they all got together, they came down to us in a body, and were pretty near when we were hoisting out our boats, which probably gave them some alarm; for, without stopping, they hauled in for the reef, and our boats followed them. We now saw that what we had taken for openings in the coast was low land, and that it was all connected, except the western extremity, which was an island, known by the name of Balabea, as we afterwards learnt. The boats having made a signal for a channel, and one of them being placed on the point of the reef, on the weather side of it, we stood in with the ship, and took up the other boat in our way, when the officer informed me, that where we were to pass, was sixteen and fourteen fathoms water, a fine sandy bottom, and that, having put alongside two canoes, he found the people very obliging and civil. They gave him some fish; and, in return, he presented them with medals, &c. In one was a stout robust young man, whom they understood to be a chief. After getting within the reef, we hauled up S. E. for a small low sandy isle that we observed lying under the shore, being followed by all the canoes. Our sounding, in standing in, was from fifteen to twelve fathoms (a pretty even fine sandy bottom), for about two miles; then we had six, five, and four fathoms. This was on the tail of a shoal which lies a little without the small isle to the N.E. Being over it, we found seven and eight fathoms water, which shallowed gradually, as we approached the shore, to three fathoms, when we tacked, stood off a little, and then anchored in five fathoms, the bottom a find sand mixed with mud. The little sandy isle bore E. by S., three quarters of a mile distant; and we were one mile from the shore of the main, which extended from S.E. by E. round by the south to W.N.W. The island of Balabea bore N.W. by N., and the channel, through which we came, north, four miles distant. In this situation we were extremely well sheltered from the reigning winds, by the sandy isle and its shoals, and by the shoal without them.

We had hardly got to an anchor before we were surrounded by a great number of the natives, in sixteen or eighteen canoes, the most of whom were without any sort of weapons. At first they were shy of coming near the ship; but in a short time we prevailed on the people in one boat to get close enough to receive some presents. These we lowered down to them by a rope; to which, in return, they tied two fish that stunk intolerably, as did those they gave us in the morning. These mutual exchanges bringing on a kind of confidence, two ventured on board the ship; and presently after she was filled with them, and we had the company of several at dinner in the cabin. Our pea-soup, salt beef, and pork, they had no curiosity to taste; but they ate of some yams, which we happened to have yet left, calling them Oobee. This name is not unlike Oofee, as they are called at most of the islands, except Mallicollo; nevertheless we found these people spoke a language new to us. Like all the nations we had lately seen, the men were almost naked, having hardly any other covering but such a wrapper as is used at Mallicollo*. They were curious in examining every part of the ship, which they viewed with uncommon attention. They had not the least knowledge of goats, hogs, dogs, or cats, and had not even a name for one of them. They seemed fond of large spike-nails, and pieces of red cloth, or indeed of any other colour; but red was their favourite.

After dinner I went on shore with two armed boats, having with us one of the natives who had attached himself to me. We landed on a sandy beach before a vast number of people, who had got together with no other intent than to see us; for many of them had not a stick in their hands; consequently we were received with great courtesy, and with the surprise natural for people to express at seeing men and things so new to them as we must be. I made presents to all those my friend pointed out, who were either old men, or such as seemed to be of some note; but he took not the least notice of some women who stood behind the crowd, holding my hand when I was going to give them some beads and medals. Here we found the same chief who had been seen in one of the canoes in the morning. His name, we now learnt, was Teabooma; and we had not been on shore above ten minutes, before he called for silence. Being instantly obeyed by every individual present, he made a short speech; and soon after another chief having called for silence, made a speech also. It was pleasing to see with what attention they were heard. Their speeches were composed of

* See the note at page 499.