great diftance. As we advanced to the Weft, the variation SeI'/^er
of the compafs gradually increafed, fo that r on the 39th, be- ----- . ' • . . Wednefd. 29. ing the latitude of 210 26' South, longitude 170° 40 Welt,
it was xo° '4s' Eaft.
At two o’clock P. M. on the ill of October, we made the Fri°®°5“ ‘
ifland of Middleburg, bearing W. S. W.j at-fix o’clock it extended
from S. W. by W. to N. W., diftant four leagues,, at
which time another land was feen in the direction of N. N.
W. The wind being at S. S. E., I hauled to the South, in order
to get round the South end of the ifland before the
morning; but at<eight o'clock a fmall ifland was feen lying
off it, and not knowing bu.t they might be connected by a
reef, the extent of which we muft be ignorant of, I refolved
to fpend the night where we were. At day-break, .the next Sat“fJa-y 2-
morning, we bore up for the S. W. fide of Middleburg,
palling between it and the little ifle above mentioned, where
we found a clear channel two miles broad.
After ranging the S. W. fide of the greater ifle, to about
two-thirds of its length, at the diftance of half a mile from
the fliore, without feeing the leaft profpedt of either anchorage
or landing-place, we bore away for Amfterdam, which
we had in fight. We had fcarcely turned our fails before
we obferved the fliores. of Middleburg to afiume another ■
afpedt, feeming to offer both anchorage and landing. Upon
this we hauled the wind, and plyed in under the ifland. In
the mean time, two canoes, each conducted by two or three
men, came boldly along-fide ; and fome of them entered the
fhip without hefitation. This mark of confidence gave
me a good opinion of thefe iftanders, and determined me
to vifit them ’if poflible. After making a few trips, we
found good anchorage, and came to in twenty-five fathoms
water,