1774. ante, at the fame time giving feveral names for different
A ugust»
parts of the country on the fides; but we could not obtain
a general name of the ifland, which we therefore diftin-
guifhed by that of Tierra del Efpiritu Santo, as Quiros had
done before. The languages of Mallicollo and Tanna, o f
which we repeated feme words to thefe people, were either
unknown to them, or we pronounced them too improperly to
be underftood, When they faw our boats coming back from
the flrore, they left us., it being then near funfet. Lieu»
tenant Pickerfgill, who had the command of our boats, reported
that he found no foundings before he came within
two or three cable’s lengths of the fhore, but that the bottom
was good at this diftanee. He had found a fine river,
which was deep enough for his boat at the entrance, and:
had landed on one of the banks, whilft a great number ofs
natives appeared in the bufhes on the oppofite fide. He
made many figns of friendfhip, and called and beckoned to
them to come over the water ; but none of them venturing
to accept the invitation, he re-embarked, and returned to-
the £hip. The boats were hoifted in, and a breeze fpringing
up, afiifted us to go gradually out of the bay. Captain
Cook gave this bay the name of St. Philip and St. lago ; but
it is ftiU fomewhat doubtful, whether it is the fame which
Quiros has diftinguifhed by that name ; at ieaft the port of
Vera Cruz, which according to that Spanilh navigator, has
room
room for a thoufand Chips, is not to be found in it *. The- a^ ust,
eaftern point of the entrance was named cape Quiros, and
lies in 14 0 5' S. and 167° | j i E. The weftern point
extends fomewhat more to the northward, being in 14 0 3 8
S. and 1 66° $ 2' E. and was named cape Cumberland. We
were off this point early the next morning, and advanced
flowly out of the bay, along the northern coaft of . the ifland,
being much detained by calms and light airs-. Quiros had.
great reafon to extol the beauty and fertility, of this country
; it is indeed to appearance, one o f the fineft in the
world. Its riches in vegetable produ&ions would doubt-
lefs have afforded the botanift an ample harveft of new
plants, as next to New Zeeland it was the largeft land we
had hitherto feen, and had the advantage of having never
been examined by other naturalifts. But the Rudy of
nature was only made the fecondary object in this voyage,
which, contrary to its original. intent, was fo contrived in
the execution, as to produce little more than a new track:
on the chart of the fouthern hemifphere. We were therefore
obliged to look upon thofe moments, as peculiarly
fortunate,, when the-urgent wants of the crew, and the
intereff o f the feienees, happened to coincide.
A fhark was caught in the afternoon, and afforded us a~
freffi meal. We found a fmall infedt, of the monoculus
« See Mr. Dalrymple’s ufeful and judicious Colleftion..of Voyages, vol. I. p. -
t#> 14?» and. 169., .
tribe,.