The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. IV. Being the Second of the Second Voyage.Cook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. IV. Being the Second of the Second Voyage.
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
We continued to stand to S. E. till four A. M. on the 27th, when we
tacked to the west. At sun-rise having discovered a new land bearing
south, and making in three hills, this occasioned us to tack and stand
towards it. At this time Montagu Isle bore N. 52° West, distant thirteen
leagues; at noon it was nearly in the same direction, and the new land
extended from S. 1/2 E. to S. by W. and three hills seemed to be
connected. Our latitude, by observation, was 18° 1ʹ S. and the
longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 1° 23ʹ E. We continued to stand to
the S. E. with a gentle breeze at S. W. and S. S. W. till the 28th at
sun-rise, when, the wind veering to the south, we tacked and stood to
the west. The three hills mentioned above, we now saw belonged to one
island, which extended from S. 35° to 71° West, distant about ten or
twelve leagues.
Retarded by contrary winds, calms, and the currents that set to N. W.,
we were three days in gaining this space; in which time we discovered an
elevated land to the south of this. It first appeared in detached
hummocks, but we judged it to be connected. At length, on the 1st of
August, about ten A. M. we got a fine breeze at E. S. E. which soon
after veered to N. E. and we steered for the N. W. side of the island.
Reaching it about two P. M. we ranged the west coast at one mile from
shore, on which the inhabitants appeared in several parts, and by signs
invited us to land. We continued to sound without finding bottom, till
we came before a small bay, or bending of the coast, where, near a mile
from shore, we found thirty and twenty-two fathoms water, a sandy
bottom. I had thoughts of anchoring here, but the wind almost instantly
veered to N. W., which being nearly on shore, I laid this design aside.
Besides, I was unwilling to lose the opportunity that now offered of
getting to the south-east, in order first to explore the lands which lay
there. I therefore continued to range the coast to the south, at about
the same distance from shore; but we soon got out of soundings. About a
league to the south of this bay, which hath about two miles extent, is
another more extensive. Towards the evening, the breeze began to abate,
so that it was sun-set before we got the length of it. I intended not to
stop here, and stand to the south under an easy sail all night, but at
eight o’clock, as we were steering S. S. E. we saw a light a-head. Not
knowing but it might be on some low detached isle, dangerous to approach
while dark, we hauled the wind, and spent the night standing off and on,
or rather driving to and fro; for we had but very little wind.
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