It is of
an egg-like figure, very high, and eighteen or twenty leagues in circuit.
Its limits were determined by several bearings; but the lines of the shore
were traced out by guess, except the N.E. part where there is anchorage
half a mile from the land.
Aurora, Whitsuntide, Ambrym, Paoom, and its neighbour Apee, Threehills, and
Sandwich Islands, lie all nearly under the meridian of 167 deg. 29' or 30' E.,
extending from the latitude of 14 deg. 51' 30", to 17 deg. 53' 30".
The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and S. by E., and is eleven leagues long
in that direction; but I believe, it hardly any where exceeds two or two
and a half in breadth. It hath a good height, its surface hilly, and every
where covered with wood, except where the natives have their dwellings and
plantations.
Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half to the south of Aurora, is
of the same length, and lies in the direction of north and south, but is
something broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, and clothed
with wood, except such parts as seemed to be cultivated, which were pretty
numerous.
From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the north side of Ambrym is two
leagues and a half. This is about seventeen leagues in circuit; its shores
are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal ascent to a tolerably
high mountain in the middle of the island, from which ascended great
columns of smoke; but we were not able to determine whether this was
occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is fertile and well inhabited,
seems probable from the quantities of smoke which we saw rise out of the
woods, in such parts of the island as came within the compass of our sight;
for it must be observed, that we did not see the whole of it.
We saw still much less of Paoom and its neighbourhood. I can say no more of
this island than that it towers up to a great height in the form of a round
hay-stack; and the extent of it, and of the adjoining isle (if there are
two), cannot exceed three or four leagues in any direction; for the
distance between Ambrym and Apee is hardly five; and they lie in this
space, and east from Port Sandwich, distant about seven or eight leagues.
The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues in circuit; its longest
direction is about eight leagues N.W. and S.E.; it is of considerable
height; and hath a hilly surface diversified with woods and lawns, the west
and south parts especially; for the others we did not see.
Shepherd's Isles are a group of small ones of unequal size, extending off
from the S.E. point of Apee about five leagues in the direction of S.E.
