Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/114

94 «79-- December.

ance, but no great sign of fertility, nor were any habitations or natives perceived. About fun-fet they difcovered what appeared like a large rock to the north -weftward, about 6 or 7 leagues dillant, and during the night they remained near Sir Henry Martin's ifland ; but in the morning not being able to fetch its n. e. point they quitted it ; its n.w. fide ap- peared to contain fonie fmall bays, and towards it^ n.e. extremity the land turned, apparently, fhort round, forming a bay fbmething fituilar to, but not fo deep as Comptroller's bay. Another rock jufl: above water now flicwed its head to the eaflward, and to the northward of that before mentioned. Thefe Mr. Hergefl reprcfents to be dangerous ; they lie about w. by n. about 6 leagues from the weftern fide of Sir Henry Martin's ifland, which is about 16 leagues in circuit. Its center is fituated infouth latitude 8° 51', longitude 220° 19', eaft.

After leaving this idand, two others were difcovered to the northwar^J of them. On the morning of the 3d of april they bore up to the southward, along the eaft fide of the fouth-wefternmoft. This is the largeft of the two, its fliores arc rocky, without any coves or landing places, and though its furface wa^ green it produced no trees, yet a few fhrubs and buflies were thinly fcattcrcd over the face of the rocks ; nor did it feem to be otherways inhabited than by the tropical oceanic birds. Thefe were in great numbers about it, and it fcemed to be a place of their general refort. The n.w. fide, however, had a more favorable afpe6l, and although its fliores were alfo rocky a number of trees were pro- duced, as well on the fides of the hills, as in the vallies. This fide afforded fome coves where there is good landing, particularly in one near the middle ; this, from the appearance of its northern fide, was called Battkry Cove. A little more than a mile to the north of this cove is a Bay, which Mr. Hcrgeft and Mr. Gooch examined. Good anchorage and regular foundings were found from 18 to 5 fathoms water; the bottom a fine clear fand. An exc( '^nt run of frefli water difcharged itfclf into the Bay near a grove oi ^ocoa-nut trees ; here they landed, and fi)und a place of interment, and a hut near half a mile from it by the fide of a hill ; but there were no people, nor the ap- pearance of any having been recently there; although it was manifeft that they did, on fimic occafions, refort to the ifland. This induced Mr. 2 Hcrgeli