Monday 29.
45° 54 ’ longitude by account 176° 13'. The gale now moderated, which
permitted us again to refume our n.e . courfe, with a fine breeze.between
weft and n.w . Early in the morning o f the 29th low land was difcover-
ed, bearing by compafs n.e . to e .-n .e. ; and beingthen in 40 fathoms
water, we brought to until day-break. About four o’clock we had 38 fathoms
fand and broken fhelly bottom, when the n.w . point of this land,
which-is low, bore by compafs s, 7 e . about 3 leagues, diftant, and which,
after the man who fortunately faw it, from the fore yard, I named. P o in t
A l ison ; a remarkably rugged rocky mountain that obtained the name of
M o u n t P a t t e r s o n s. 60 e . ;.a fugar-loafhill-s.84 e . ; and the extreme
point to the eaftward, which formed an abrupt Cape, N. 75 E. Two iflands
N. 3 E. to n. 5 e . 2 or 3 leagues diftant. The interior land was of a moderate
height, riling gradually, and forming feveral peaked hills, which at a
diftance Have the appearance o f iflands. From point -Alifon to mount Pat-
terfon the lhore is low, and covered,with wood; from thence to the above
Cape was a continued white:beach; on which fome fandy cliffs, and black
rocks were interfperfed, apparently detached from the lhore. T o the
eaftward of thefe rocks, between them and a flat projecting point, the
land feemed to form a bay open to the weftward. From this point to the
above Cape, adiftance of about two miles, the cliffs are covered with wood
and coarfe grafs. Thefe' cliffs are of moderate; height, compofed of a
reddilh clay, mixed with black rocks., Several1 large black rocks lie off
point Alifon, and the Gape, extending -little diftance; and as 1 we paffed
within about half a mile of the lhore, the depth of water was 14 fathoms,
broken Ihells, and fandy bottom. This Cape forms a confpicuous head
land, and is the northernmoft part of the ifland; I called it C a p e Y oung ;
it lies in latitude 43°48', longitude 183° 2'. The above two iflands lie very
near each other; to the eaftward of them lies a fmall rock, apparently
conneflied, though, at no great diftance, by a reef; another rock fome-
what larger is fituated between them. ■ They are of no great height; flat
top with perpendicular fides, compofed intirely of rocks, and much frequented
by birds of different kinds, Thefe, which from their refemblance
toeach other, I called,T he T w o S i s t e r s , are in latitude 430 41', longitude
182° 49'; and bear, by compafs, from Cape Young n. 50 w. 4
leagues
leagues diftant. We fleered from cape Young e. by n . keeping be- *79>-
tween 2 and 3 miles from the coaft, with regular foundings from 25 to ,KWnlb"',
22 fathoms. The lhore -is a continued white fandy beach, on which
the furf ran very high. Some high land, rifing gradually from the
beach and covered with wood, extends about 4 miles to the eaftward
of the Cape, After paffmg this land, we opened the feveral hills over
the low land we had feen in the morning, and could difcern that many
of them were covered like our heaths in England, but deftitute o f trees.
The woods in fome fpots had the appearance of being cleared, and in feveral
places between the hills fmoke was obferved. The beach is interrupted
at unequal diftances by projecting rocky points covered with wood.
Over the banks of fand were feen a range of retired hills at a confidera-
ble diftance, in the dire&ion of the coaft. After failing about 10 leagues,
we came abreaft of a fmall fandy bay. Water was feen over the beach,
and the country had the appearance of being very pleafant. With our
glaffes we perceived fome people hauling up a canoe, and feveral others
behind the rocks in the bay. Fearful that fo good an opportunity mio-ht
not- occur for acquiring fome knowledge of the inhabitants, I worked up
into the bay, which we had paffed before the natives were difeovered.
We came to an anchor about a mile from the fhore in 20 fathom water,
fandy and rocky bottom. The eaftern point by compafs bore n . 78 E .;
cape Young w . 12 s . ; the larboard point of the bay s. e.; the eaftern
point from our anchorage proved to be the termination' of the ifland, to
which I gave the name of P oin t Munnings.
- “ Accompanied by Mr. Johnfton the matter, and one of the mates,
we proceeded towards the fhore in the cutter. The rocks proje£i a little
at each extremity of the b a y; within them we found fmooth water, and
landed upon the rocks on the ftarboard fhore, where we had firft perceived
the inhabitants ; who were, at this time, on the oppofite fide, but
feeing us examining their canoes, they haftily ran round the bay; on
which we retired to the boat, to wait their arrival. As they approached
they made much noife, and having foon joined us, we entered into a con-
verfation by ftgns, geftures, and fpeech, without underftanding what
each other meant. We prefented them with feveral articles, which they
received