J u l y . wholly covered' with woods, like the reft of the ifland.
One end Hoped into a flat point, on which we obferved fine
groves of coco-palms, and fruit-trees, together with houfes
in their ihade. A fine fandy beach furrounded the Ihore,
and - at the diftance of half a mile, a.coral reef encompafled.
the eaft fide of the ifland, which at the points projected near
two miles from the Ihore. On this reef we foon perceived*
five blackifh-brown men, with clubs in their hands, looking:
at us very attentively. We hoifted a boat out, and fent the
matter to found an opening between the reefs which we
faw before us. He went on through the entrance towards
the flicure, where we obferved upwards of thirty inhabitants
fitting. Amongft them ten or twelve were armed with
fpears ; but as foon as our boat came near, they hauled a
canoe into the woods, which had brought their five men to
and from the reef, and all ran oflf when the matter landed.
He laid fome nails, a knife, and a few medals on the fandy
beach, and returned on board, to acquaint the captain that
there was no bottom in the entrance of the reef, and not
fufficient depth within it. He had obferved a dozen or
more large turtles fwimming in the harbour; but being
deftitute of harpoons, or other inftruments, could not ftrike
any of them. Our boat was hoifted in again, and the
hopes of botanizing on this ifland were entirely fruftrated.
We continued ftanding along its reef, on which we obferved
fo me large Angle rocks of coral, near fifteen feet above the
furface
furface of the water, narrow at the bafe, and fpreading out gJn
at the top. Whether an earthquake had raifed them fo
high out of the fea, in which they mutt have been formed,
or whether fome other caufe ought to be afligned for this
curious fadl, remains to be determined.
A few miles to the weftward of the ifland we found a
great circular reef of coral, including a lagoon. It was
fufpectted that this lagoon might be the abode of turtles,
and two boats were hoifted out in the afternoon to go in
queft of them. The filhery proved very unfuccefsful, not
a Angle turtle being feen, and the crew hoifted the boats in
again before funfet. We then left this new difcovery,
which was named Turtle Ifland, and is fituated in i 90 48' S.
and 178° 2 W.
We ran to the W. S. W~. with a frefh trade-wind by day,
but tacked every night. No birds attended us on this
courfe, except now and then a white booby, or a man of
war bird. The fair weather, the yams of Namoka, and
the hope of making new difcoveries in this part of the Pacific
Ocean, which had never been vifited before, kept us all
in very good fpirits.
On the 9th of July, having reached nearly i j 6 ° E. and Sa,urdi’J'®
being in so ° S. we changed our courfe to the N. W. Our
frelh gale continued without any change till the 1 3th, wdn.a.
when it was fomewhat abated, and a few drops of rain fell
both at night and in the morning. The fecond anniverfary
C c 2 of