The Next Morning We Saw Other
Land To The South-East Of The Westernmost Point, Which Till Then Was
Clouded; It Was Very High Land, And The Same That We Saw The Day
Before, That Disappeared In A Cloud.
This Cape St. George lies in
the latitude of 5 degrees 5 minutes south; and meridian distance
from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles.
The island off this cape I called St.
George's Isle; and the bay between it and the west point I named St.
George's Bay. [Note:- No Dutch drafts go so far as this cape by ten
leagues.] On the 10th, in the evening, we got within a league of
the westernmost land seen, which is pretty high and very woody, but
no appearance of anchoring. I stood off again, designing, if
possible, to ply to and fro in this bay till I found a conveniency
to wood and water. We saw no more plantations nor cocoa-nut trees;
yet in the night we discerned a small fire right against us. The
next morning we saw a burning mountain in the country. It was
round, high, and peaked at top, as most volcanoes are, and sent
forth a great quantity of smoke. We took up a log of driftwood, and
split it for firing; in which we found some small fish.
The day after we passed by the south-west cape of this bay, leaving
it to the north of us. When we were abreast of it I called my
officers together, and named it Cape Orford, in honour of my noble
patron, drinking his Lordship's health. This cape bears from Cape
St. George south-west about eighteen leagues. Between them there is
a bay about twenty-five leagues deep, having pretty high land all
round it, especially near the capes, though they themselves are not
high. Cape Orford lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 24 minutes
south, by my observation; and meridian distance from Cape St.
George, forty-four miles west. The land trends from this cape
north-west by west into the bay, and on the other side south-west
per compass, which is south-west 9 degrees west, allowing the
variation, which is here 9 degrees east. The land on each side of
the cape is more savannah than woodland, and is highest on the
north-west side. The cape itself is a bluff-point, of an
indifferent height, with a flat tableland at top. When we were to
the south-west of the cape, it appeared to be a low point shooting
out, which you cannot see when abreast of it. This morning we
struck a log of driftwood with our turtle-irons, hoisted it in, and
split it for firewood. Afterwards we struck another, but could not
get it in. There were many fish about it.
We steered along south-west as the land lies, keeping about six
leagues off the shore; and, being desirous to cut wood and fill
water, if I saw any conveniency, I lay by in the night, because I
would not miss any place proper for those ends, for fear of wanting
such necessaries as we could not live without.
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