||gj ficient, in a few moments, to deftroy all his hopes of glory.
Prudence and caution are very neceflary in the condudt of
every great enterprize ; but it feems, that in a voyage of
difcovery, as in every undertaking of confequence, a certain
degree of raflinefs, and reliance on good fortune, become
the principal roads to fame, by being crowned with great
and undeferved fuccefe.
Thefe dangerous iflands received the name of Shepherd’s
Mes, from the Rev. Dr. A. Shepherd, F. R. S. profefior of
aftronomy in the univerlity of Cambridge. We obtained a
frefh breeze the fame night, and- tacked off and on till the
Monday a5. next morning at day-break, when, being near the fouther-
moft ifland, we flood away to the fouthward for the lands
which we had difcovered the day before. We palled to the
eaftward of Three-hills Ifland, towards two other ifles a few
leagues to the fouth of it, of a much fmaller fize, but covered
with verdure and groves in the fame manner. We
failed between one of them and a high columnar rock,
which we named the Monument, from its remarkable
fhape. The furf which had beaten upon it, had worn lèverai
deep furrows and channels into it. It looked
blackilh, might be an hundred and fifty yards high, and
was not wholly deftitute of verdure. A great number of
boobies and terns were feen flying about it, and feemed to
have taken up their refidence on it. The larger ifland,
near which it was fituated, was called Two-hills Ifland, by
captain
captain Cook, becaufe it had only two elevations of any re- A” Jr
markable fize.
We now flood due fouth, towards the large land which
appeared in that quarter, and which we had already noticed
on the 24th. A canoe, with a triangular fail, was obferved
at a great diftance, coming from the S. W. towards Three-
hills Ifland. The natives of thefe different iflands have
therefore, in all likelihood, a friendly intercourfe with each
other, in the fame manner as the different inhabitants of
the Society and Friendly Iflands. In. the afternoon we had
almoft made the fouthern ifland, which now appeared to
confift of two ; and were preparing to pafs.to windward of
both, being near the eaftermoft of them, when the breeze
fuddenly failed us, and we were carried to the weft by the
tide or current at a great rate. Our fituatiqn this night was
no lefs dangerous than on the preceding, with this difference
only, that the moon fhone very bright, and we could judge
of the* quick advances which we made towards the weftera
ifland. Its northernmoft point was of a great height, rocky,
black, and almoft perpendicular, having only a narrow
beach, and a few fcattered rocks at the bottom. We remained
in the moft dreadful fufpenfe till near ten o’clock,
as the current was fo ftrong, that hoifting out our boats
would fcarcely have availed us any thing. The fhip’s
head, her ftern, or her broad-fide, were by turns directed
towards the fhore, on which we heard the furf breaking
Voc.TI. I i with