Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/125

April 1769.] and the whole Island may form a Different figure to what I have here described. The east end lies in the Lat. of 18° 23′ S., and Long. 141° 12′ W. from Greenwich. Variation 5° 38′ E. This Island is Inhabited; we not only saw smook in Different Parts, but people also. At Noon saw Land to the Westward. Wind east; course N. 85° W.; distance 94 m.; lat. 18° 19′ S., long. 142° 29′ W.

Friday, 7th.—Fresh Gales and Cloudy. At ½-past 2 p.m. got up with the East end of the Land seen yesterday at Noon, and which proved to be an assemblage of Islands join'd together by Reef, and extending themselves N.W. by N. and S.E. by S. in 8 or 9 Leagues and of various breadths; but there appeared to be a total Seperation in the middle by a Channell of half a Mile broad, and on this account they are called the two Groups. The S. Eastermost of them lies in the Latitude of 18° 12′ and Long. of 142° 42′ W. from Greenwich, and W. ½ N. distant 25 Leagues from the W. end of Bow Island. We ranged along the S.W. side of this Island, and hauled into a Bay which lies to the N.W. of the Southermost point of them, and where there appeared to be Anchorage and the Sea was smooth and not much Surf on the Shore; but we found no ground with 100 fathoms ¾ of a Mile from the Shore, and nearer we did not go. Here several of the Inhabitants assembled together with their Canoes, with a design, as we thought, to come off to us, as they hauld one of them over the reef seemingly for that purpose; but after waiting near ½ an hour, and they not attempting to come, we bore away and made Sail, and presentley the Canoe put off after us; but, as we did not stop, they soon went back again. They were in all respects like those we had seen on Lagoon Island, and Armed with Clubs and long Pikes like them. At ½-past 6 a.m. Saw a small Island to the Northward, hauled our wind for it, and soon got close in with it. It is about 3 or 4 Miles in Circuit, and very low, with a Pond in the Middle. There is some wood upon it, but no inhabitants but Birds, and for this reason is called Bird Island. It lies in the lat. 17° 48′ and long. 143° 35′ W., and W. ½ N. 10 Leagues from the West end of the two Groups. The birds we saw were Men-of-War Birds and several other sorts. Wind East; course N. 66° W.; distance 66 m.; lat. 17° 48′ S., long. 143° 31′ W.

Saturday, 8th.—Fresh Trade and pleasant weather, but about noon had a few flying showers of rain. Variation 6° 32′ E. Wind E. by S. and E.; course N. 87° W.; distance 100 m.; lat. 17° 43′ S., long. 145° 16′ W.

Sunday, 9th.—A steady fresh gale and pleasant weather. At 2 p.m. saw Land to the Northward, hauld up for it, and found