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.
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