Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/393

Aug. 1770.] Meridian of Greenwich. It is form'd by the Main, or the northern extremity of New Holland, on the S.E., and by a Congeries of Islands to N.W., which I named Prince of Wales's Islands. It is very Probable that the Islands extend quite to New Guinea; they are of Various Extent both for height and Circuit, and many of them seem'd to be indifferently well Cloath'd with wood, etc., and, from the smokes we saw, some, if not all of them, must be inhabited. It is also very probable that among these Islands are as good, if not better, passages than the one we have come thro', altho' one need hardly wish for a better, was the access to it from the Eastward less dangerous; but this difficulty will remain until some better way is found out than the one we came, which no doubt may be done was it ever to become an object to be looked for. The northern Extent of the Main or outer reef, which limit or bounds the Shoals to the Eastward, seems to be the only thing wanting to Clear up this point; and this was a thing I had neither time nor inclination to go about, having been already sufficiently harrass'd with dangers without going to look for more.

This passage, which I have named Endeavour Straits, after the Name of the Ship, is in length N.E. and S.W. 10 Leagues, and about 5 leagues broad, except at the N.E. entrance, where it is only 2 Miles broad by reason of several small Islands which lay there, one of which, called Possession Island, is of a Moderate height and Circuit; this we left between us and the Main, passing between it and 2 Small round Islands, which lay N.W. 2 Miles from it. There