We Saw
Several People, And Some Cocoa-Nut Trees, But Could Not Send Ashore
For Want Of My Pinnace, Which Was Out Of Order.
In the evening I
stood off to sea, to be at such a distance that I might not be
driven by any current upon the shoals of this island, if it should
prove calm.
We had but little wind, especially the beginning of the
night; but in the morning I found myself so far to the west of the
island, that the wind being at east-south-east, I could not fetch
it, wherefore I kept on to the southward, and stemmed with the body
of a high island about eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the
southward of that which I before designed for. I named this island
Sir George Rook's Island.
We also saw some other islands to the westward, which may be better
seen in my draft of these lands than here described; but seeing a
very small island lying to the north-west of the long island which
was before us, and not far from it. I steered away for that, hoping
to find anchoring there; and having but little wind, I sent my boat
before to sound, which, when we were about two miles' distance from
the shore, came on board and brought me word that there was good
anchoring in thirty or forty fathom water, a mile from the isle, and
within a reef of the rocks which lay in a half-moon, reaching from
the north part of the island to the south-east; so at noon we got in
and anchored in thirty-six fathom, a mile from the isle.
In the afternoon I sent my boat ashore to the island, to see what
convenience there was to haul our vessel ashore in order to be
mended, and whether we could catch any fish. My men in the boat
rowed about the island, but could not land by reason of the rocks
and a great surge running in upon the shore. We found variation
here, 8 degrees 25 minutes west.
I designed to have stayed among these islands till I got my pinnace
refitted; but having no more than one man who had skill to work upon
her, I saw she would be a long time in repairing (which was one
great reason why I could not prosecute my discoveries further); and
the easterly winds being set in, I found I should scarce be able to
hold my ground.
The 31st, in the forenoon, we shot in between two islands, lying
about four leagues asunder, with intention to pass between them.
The southernmost is a long island, with a high hill at each end;
this I named Long Island. The northernmost is a round high island
towering up with several heads or tops, something resembling a
crown; this I named Crown Isle from its form. Both these islands
appeared very pleasant, having spots of green savannahs mixed among
the wood-land: the trees appeared very green and flourishing, and
some of them looked white and full of blossoms. We passed close by
Crown Isle, saw many cocoa-nut trees on the bays and sides of the
hills; and one boat was coming off from the shore, but returned
again. We saw no smoke on either of the islands, neither did we see
any plantations, and it is probable they are not very well peopled.
We saw many shoals near Crown Island, and reefs of rocks running off
from the points a mile or more into the sea: my boat was once
overboard, with design to have sent her ashore, but having little
wind, and seeing some shoals, I hoisted her in again, and stood off
out of danger.
In the afternoon, seeing an island bearing north-west-by-west, we
steered away north-west-by-north, to be to the northward of it. The
next morning, being about midway from the islands we left yesterday,
and having this to the westward of us, the land of the main of New
Guinea within us to the southward, appeared very high. When we came
within four or five leagues of this island to the west of us, four
boats came off to view us, one came within call, but returned with
the other three without speaking to us; so we kept on for the
island, which I named Sir R. Rich's Island. It was pretty high,
woody, and mixed with savannahs like those formerly mentioned.
Being to the north of it, we saw an opening between it and another
island two leagues to the west of it, which before appeared all in
one. The main seemed to be high land, trending to the westward.
On Tuesday, the 2nd of April, about eight in the morning, we
discovered a high-peaked island to the westward, which seemed to
smoke at its top: the next day we passed by the north side of the
Burning Island, and saw smoke again at its top, but the vent lying
on the south side of the peak, we could not observe it distinctly,
nor see the fire. We afterwards opened three more islands, and some
land to the southward, which we could not well tell whether it were
islands or part of the main. These islands are all high, full of
fair trees and spots of great savannahs, as well the Burning Isle as
the rest; but the Burning Isle was more round and peaked at top,
very fine land near the sea, and for two-thirds up it: we also saw
another isle sending forth a great smoke at once, but it soon
vanished, and we saw it no more; we saw also among these islands
three small vessels with sails, which the people of Nova Britannia
seem wholly ignorant of.
The 11th, at noon, having a very good observation, I found myself to
the northward of my reckoning, and thence concluded that we had a
current setting north-west, or rather more westerly, as the land
lies.
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