■ 774*
June. our crew had the mortification of lofing a great (hark, after "
they had hooked, and {hot him with three bullets.
On the 11 thj in the morning, the wind frelhened again,
and puflied uson to the W. S*W. for two days, at the expiration
of which we had calms and foul winds to cope
with, and faw frequent flaflies of lightning at night. Sea-
fowl of different forts, and fifties, fuch as bonitos, dolphins,
fharks, and grampufles, appeared about us at different
times.
Xkuiöay j6. On the i 6 th, in. the morning, at eight o’clock, we dif-
covered another low iff and. We were clofe to it about three' *
in the afternoon, and failed round it, without finding a
landing place or harbour. It confifted of eight different
iffes, connected by reefs, and covered with trees, particularly'
coco-palms, which made it look remarkably pleafant. Vaft
flocks of aquatic birds appeared about it, from whence we
concluded, that it was likewife uninhabited. In fome
parts there were extenfive fandy beaches, where turtles probably
refort to lay their eggs. The fea was alfo full of
good fifh, of different forts, about us. This pretty little
fpot was named Palmerfton Ifland, and lies in i 8 5 4' S. latv
and 16 3° 10' W.
Mondayao. We continued fleering to the W. S. W. till the 20th,
when we faw an ifland in the afternoon, of fome elevation,
on which, before funfet, we could difeern the trees. We
tacked all night to windward, and at the return of daylight
light flood towards it. Having approached within about
two miles, we ran along the fhore, which now appeared
fteep and rocky, with here and there a narrow fandy beach
at the foot of the rock. It was nearly level every where,
and its greateft height feemed not to exceed forty feet; but
it Was covered with woods and fhrubberies along the fum-
mit. About ten o’clock, we perceived feven or eight people
running clofe to the water’s edge. They feemed to be of a
blackifh colour, and were naked; fomething white was
wrapped about their heads and loins, and each had a fpear,
a club, or a paddle in his hand. In feveral chafms between
the rocks, we obferved a few fmall canoes hauled upon the
fhore. We now likewife took notice of fome coco-nut trees,
o f no great height, which flood on the flope of the rocks.
Two boats were hoifted out, armed and manned, in which
the captain, accompanied by Dr, Sparrman, Mr. Hodges, my
father, and rhyfelf, went afliore. A reef of coral furrounds
the whofe coaft at a fhort diftance; but having found an
opening, where the furf was not dangerous, we landed,
and climbed up one of the adjacent rocks, where we pofted
fome of our failors and marines. It confifted entirely of
fharp and craggy coral, and was covered with a variety
of fmall fhrubby plants, common to the low iflands. Be-
fides thefe, we found fome new fpecies, all which grew between
the crevices of the coral, without the ieaft atom of
foil. Some curlews, fnipes, and herons, of the fame fort
Y 2 which