Future distinguish them by the name of the New Hebrides.
They are situated between the latitude of 14 deg. 29' and 20 deg. 4' S., and
between 166 deg. 41' and 170 deg. 21' E. longitude, and extend an hundred and
twenty-five leagues in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2 E.
The most northern island is that called by M. de Bougainville, Peak of the
Etoile; it is situated, according to his account, in latitude, 14 deg. 29',
longitude 168 deg. 9'; and N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora.
The next island, which lies farthest north, is that of Tierra del Espiritu
Santo. It is the most western and largest of all the Hebrides, being
twenty-two leagues long, in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2
E., twelve in breadth, and sixty in circuit. We have obtained the true
figure of this island very accurately. The land of it, especially the west
side, is exceedingly high and mountainous; and, in many places the hills
rise directly from the sea. Except the cliffs and beaches, every other part
is covered with wood, or laid out in plantations. Besides the bay of St
Philip and St Jago, the isles which lie along the south and east coast,
cannot, in my opinion, fail of forming some good bays or harbours.
The next considerable island is that of Mallicollo. To the S.E. it extends
N.W. and S.E., and is eighteen leagues long in that direction. Its greatest
breadth, which is at the S.E, end, is eight leagues. The N.W. end is two-
thirds this breadth, and near the middle, one-third. This contraction is
occasioned by a wide and pretty deep bay on the S.W. side. To judge of this
island from what we saw of it, it must be very fertile and well inhabited.
The land on the sea-coast is rather low, and lies with a gentle slope from
the hills which are in the middle of the island. Two-thirds of the N.E.
coast was only seen at a great distance; therefore the delineations of it
can have no pretensions to accuracy; but the other parts, I apprehend, are
without any material errors.
St Bartholomew lies between the S.E. end of Tierra del Espiritu Santo, and
the north end of Mallicollo; and the distance between it and the latter is
eight miles. This is the passage through which M. de Bougainville went; and
the middle of it is in latitude 15 deg. 48'.
The Isle of Lepers lies between Espiritu Santo and Aurora Island, eight
leagues from the former, and three from the latter, in latitude 15 deg.
