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. 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 to 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
ahead. 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.
At sun-rise on the 2d, we saw no more land than the coast we were upon; but
found that the currents had carried us some miles to the north, and we
attempted, to little purpose, to regain what we had lost. At noon we were
about a league from the coast, which extended from S.S.E. to N.E. Latitude
observed 18 deg. 45' S. In the afternoon, finding the ship to drift not only to
the north, but in shore also, and being yet to the south of the bay we
passed the day before, I had thoughts of getting to an anchor before night,
while we had it in our power to make choice of a place.
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