Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/124

56 flag. We approached the north side of this Island within a Mile, and found no Bottom with 130 fathoms of line, nor did there appear to be Anchorage about it. We saw several of the Inhabitants, the most of them men, and these Marched along the shore abreast of the Ships with long Clubs in their hands as tho' they meant to oppose our landing. They were all naked except their Privy parts, and were of a Dark Copper Colour with long black Hair, but upon our leaving the Island some of them were seen to put on a Covering, and one or two we saw in the Skirts of the Wood was Cloathed in White; these we supposed to be Women. This Island lies in the Lat. of 18° 47′ and Long. 139° 28′ W. from the Meridian of Greenwich; variation 2° 54′ E. Wind E., E. by S.; course N. 88° W.; distance 114 m.; lat. 18° 42′ S., long. 139° 29′ W.

Wednesday, 5th.—A fresh steady gale and fine weather. At 1 p.m. made Sail to the Westward, and at ½ past 3 saw land to the N.W., which we got up with at Sun sett and proved to be a low woody Island of a Circular form, and not much above a Mile in Compass. This Island I called Thrum Cap ; it lies in the Lat. of 18° 35′ S. and in the Long. of 139° 48′ W. from Greenwich, and N. 62° W, 7 Leagues from Lagoon Island. We saw no inhabitants, nor the appearance of any, and yet we were within ½ a Mile of the Shore. I observed by the Shore that it was near low Water, and at Lagoon Island I observed that it was either high Water or else there was no Ebbing and flowing of the Sea. From these Circumstances I infer that a S. by E. or South Moon makes high Water. Here we caught a King Fish, being the first fish we have got in these Seas. Wind East; course N. 77° 30′ W.; distance 79 m.; lat. 18° 25′ S., long. 140° 51′ W.

Thursday, 6th.—A fresh Trade and fine Pleasant weather. At 3 p.m. Saw land to the Westward, which proved to be an Island of about 12 or 15 Leagues in Compass; is very low and entirely drown'd in the Middle, forming there a large lake, into which there appeared to be no inlet. The border of land and Reef surrounding this lake like a wall appeared to be of a Bow-like figure, for which reason I named it Bow Island. The South side, along which we sail'd, was one continued low narrow Beach or Reef like a Causeway for 4 Leagues and upwards, and lies E. by N. and W. by S. The East and West Ends and North side of this Island are wooded in Groves, and the firm Land appeared disjoined and like a Number of Islands, and very probably is so. The N.W. parts of the Island we only saw aCross the Lake, and not very distinct on account of its great extent, and night coming on before we had run the whole length of the Island. This description must be imperfect,