18' 30"; longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 45'
E. In this situation, the Monument bore N. 16 deg.
E. distant two miles;
Twohills bore N. 25 deg. W. distant two miles, and in a line with the S.W. part
of Threehills; and the islands to the south extended from S. 16 deg. 30' E. to
S. 42 deg. W.
Continuing our course to the south, at five p.m. we drew near the southern
lands, which we found to consist of one large island, whose southern and
western extremities extended beyond our sight, and three or four smaller
ones lying off its north side. The two northernmost are much the largest,
have a good height, and lie in the direction of E. by S. and W. by N. from
each other, distant two leagues; I named the one Montagu and the other
Hinchinbrook, and the large island Sandwich, in honour of my noble patron
the Earl of Sandwich. Seeing broken water ahead, between Montagu and
Hinchinbrook isles, we tacked; and soon after it fell calm. The calm
continued till seven o'-clock the next morning, when it was succeeded by a
breeze from the westward. During the calm, having been carried by the
currents and a S.E. swell, four leagues to the W.N.W., we passed
Hinchinbrook Isle, saw the western extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing
S.S.W., about five leagues distant, and at the same time discovered a small
island to the west of this direction. After getting the westerly breeze, I
steered S.E. in order to pass between Montagu Isle and the north end of
Sandwich Island. At noon we were in the middle of the channel, and observed
in latitude 17 deg. 31' S. The distance from one island to the other is about
four or five miles; but the channel is not much above half that breadth,
being contracted by breakers. We had no soundings in it with a line of
forty fathoms.
As we passed Montagu Isle several people came down to the sea-side, and, by
signs, seemed to invite us ashore. Some were also seen on Sandwich Island,
which exhibited a most delightful prospect, being spotted with woods and
lawns, agreeably diversified over the whole surface. It hath a gentle slope
from the hills, which are of a moderate height, down to the sea coast. This
is low, and guarded by a chain of breakers, so that there is no approaching
it at this part. But more to the west, beyond Hinchinbrook Island, there
seemed to run in a bay sheltered from the reigning winds. The examining it
not being so much an object, with me as the getting to the south, in order
to find the southern extremity of the Archipelago, with this view I steered
S.S.E., being the direction of the coast of Sandwich Island. We had but
just got through the passage, before the west wind left us to variable
light airs and calms; so that we were apprehensive of being carried back
again by the currents, or rather of being obliged to return, in order to
avoid being driven on the shoals, as there was no anchorage, a line of an
hundred and sixty fathoms not reaching to the bottom. At length a breeze
springing up at S.W. we stood to S.E., and at sun-set the Monument bore N.
14 deg. 30' W., and Montagu Island N. 28 deg. W. distant three leagues. We judged
we saw the S.E. extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing about S. by E.
We continued to stand 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 deg. W., 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 the three hills seemed to be connected. Our latitude by
observation, was 18 deg. 1' S., and the longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 1 deg.
23' 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,
belonging to one island, which extended from S. 35 deg. to 71 deg. W. distant about
ten or twelve leagues.[2]
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.
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