I Generally Lay-To
Every Night, Lest We Might Pass Any Land In The Dark.
Part of the 21st and
22d the wind blew from N.W., attended with thunder, lightning, and rain,
having a large swell from S.S.E. and S., which kept up for several days, -
an indication that no land was near us in that direction.
On the 23d, at ten o'clock in the morning, land was seen from the top-mast
head, and at noon from the deck, extending from S. by W. to S.W. by S. We
hauled up for it with the wind at S.E., and found it to consist of two or
three small islets, connected together by breakers like most of the low
isles in the sea, lying in a triangular form, and about six leagues in
circuit. They were clothed with wood, among which were many cocoa-nut
trees. We saw no people, or signs of inhabitants; and had reason to think
there were none. The situation of this isle, which is in the latitude of
19 deg. 18' S., longitude 158 deg. 54' W., is not very different from that assigned
by Mr Dalrymple to La Dezena. But as this is a point not easily determined,
I named it Hervey's Island, in honour of the Honourable Captain Hervey of
the navy, one of the lords of the Admiralty, and afterwards Earl of
Bristol.
As the landing on this isle, if practicable, would have caused a delay
which I could ill spare at this time, we resumed our course to the west;
and on the 25th we again began to use our sea-biscuits, the fruit which had
served as a succedaneum being all consumed; but our stock of fresh pork
still continued, each man having as much every day as was needful. In our
route to the west we now and then saw men-of-war and tropic birds, and a
small sea-bird, which is seldom seen but near the shores of the isles; we,
therefore, conjectured that we had passed some land at no great distance.
As we advanced to the west, the variation of the compass gradually
increased, so that on the 29th, being in the latitude of 21 deg. 26' S.,
longitude 170 deg. 40' W., it was 10 deg. 45' E.
At two o'clock p.m. on the 1st of October, we made the island of
Middleburg, bearing W.S.W.; at six o'clock it extended from S.W, by W. to
N.W., distant four leagues, at which time another land was seen in the
direction of N.N.W. The wind being at S.S.E., I hauled to the south, in
order to get round the south end of the island before the morning; but at
eight o'clock a small island was seen lying off it, and not knowing but
they might be connected by a reef, the extent of which we must be ignorant
of, I resolved to spend the night where we were.
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