Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/349

June 1770.] point I named Cape Cleveland, and the West, Magnetical Head or Island, as it had much the appearance of an Island; and the Compass did not traverse well when near it. They are both Tolerable high, and so is the Main Land within them, and the whole appeared to have the most rugged, rocky, and barren Surface of any we have yet seen. However, it is not without inhabitants, as we saw smoke in several places in the bottom of the bay. The Northermost land we had in sight at this time bore N.W.; this we took to be an Island or Islands, for we could not trace the Main land farther than W. by N.

Thursday, 7th.—Light Airs between the S. and E., with which we steer'd W.N.W., keeping the Main land on board, the outermost part of which at sun set bore from us W. by N.; but without this lay high land, which we took to be Islands. At daylight A.M. we were the Length of the Eastern part of this Land, which we found to Consist of a Group of Islands laying about 5 Leagues from the Main. We being at this time between the 2, we continued advancing Slowly to the N.W. until noon, at which time we were by observation in the Lat. of 18° 49′, and about 5 Leagues from the Main land, the N.W. part of which bore from us N. by W. ½ W., the Island extending from N. to E.; distance of the nearest 2 Miles. Cape Cleveland bore S. 50° E., distant 18 Leagues. Our Soundings in the Course of this day's Sail were from 14 to 11 fathoms.

Friday, 8th.—Winds at S.S.E. and S.; first part light Airs, the remainder a Gentle breeze. In the P.M. we saw several large smokes upon the Main, some people, Canoes, and, as we thought, Cocoa Nut Trees upon one of the Islands; and, as a few of these Nutts would have been very acceptable to us at this Time, I sent Lieut. Hicks ashore, with whom went Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, to see what was to be got. In the Meantime we keept Standing in for the Island with the Ship. At 7 they returned on board, having met with Nothing worth Observing. The Trees we saw were a small kind of Cabbage Palms. They heard some of the Natives as they were putting off from the Shore, but saw none. After the Boat was hoisted in we stood away N. by W. for the Northermost land we had in sight, which we were abreast of at 3 o'Clock in the Morning, having passed all the Islands 3 or 4 hours before. This point I have named Point Hillock, on account of its Figure. The Land of this point is Tolerable high, and may be known by a round Hillock or rock that appears to be detached from the point, but I believe it joins to it. Between this Cape and Cape Cleveland