At two o'clock in the morning, the wind veered round to south-by-west, and moderated, but a heavy sea was still running. At noon, the latitude was 32 deg. 22' south, 154 deg. 11' east longitude. In the evening, a flying-fish flew on board, which is rather an extraordinary event in this latitude. At day-break in the morning of the 18th, land was discovered bearing east-south-east; and, from its appearance, we judged it to be two small rocks or islands, not more than six leagues distant. At the time we first saw the land, we were standing to the northward, with the wind at east-south-east: at eight in the morning, we tacked towards the land, but the wind being light during the whole day, our progress was very slow. Early the next morning, having neared the land considerably, we perceived a pointed rock right a-head, at some distance from the island; on which, we hove to, and soundings were tried for with 120 fathoms of line, but we got no bottom. At day-light we made sail, and perceived that the two islands or hills we had seen the day before, were two very high rocky mountains, on the south side of an island, extending from north 37 deg. east, to north 55 deg. east. This side of the island formed a deep bay, in which there appeared to be good shelter from the north-east. At noon, we had a very good meridian altitude, by which the latitude was 31 deg. 40' south, and the center of the island bore north 40 deg. west, distant about six miles; consequently, its latitude is 31 deg. 35' south, and the longitude 159 deg. east of Greenwich. The form of the island is a crescent, and it is very small in proportion to the two stupendous rocky mountains which rise at its southern extremity. One of the rocks rises perpendicularly from the sea, and has the appearance of a regular pyramid, when seen from the westward: we sailed from it in a direct course 22 leagues, and could then see it very plainly. Lieutenant Ball, who was certainly the discoverer of this island, has named its points and rocks, as they are marked in the chart*. At noon on the 20th, we lost fight of Ball's pyramid in the haze, after having run 22 leagues from it in the direction of east by south: I think, in clear weather, it may be seen at the distance of thirty leagues. We had light winds and pleasant weather until the 24th, when we had very strong gales from east-south-east, with a high cross sea. [* For this Chart, and a View of Ball's Pyramid, with a full Description, see Phillip's Voyage, 4to. Edition.]