September.
Thurfdt-y. 29.
ceived that it was unconnected with the neighbouringfhoals,
and that it is probable we might get to an anchor under its lee
or weft fide. We therefore flood on, being conducted by an
officer at the mart-head; and after hauling round the point of
the reef which furrounds the iile, we attempted to ply to windward,
in order to get nearer the fliore. Another reef to the
North confined us to a narrow channel, through which ran a
current againft us, that rendered this attempt fruitlefsj.fi>that
we were obliged to anchor in thirty-nine fathoms water, the
bottom fine coral fand ; the ifte bearing W. by N., one mile
diftant. As foon as this was done, we hoifted out a boat, in
which I went alhore accompanied by the botanifts- We
found the tall trees to be a kind of fpruce pine, very proper
for fpars, of which we were in want. After making this
difcovery, I haftened on board in order to have more time
after dinner, when I landed again with two boats, accompanied
by feveral of the officers and gentlemen, having with
us the carpenter and fome o f his crew, to cut down fuch
trees as were wanting. While this was doing, I took the
bearings of feveral- lands round. The hill on the Ifle of
Pines bore S. 59° 30' E .; the low point of Queen Charlotte’s,
Foreland N. 14° 30' Weft; the high land over it, feen over
two low ifles N. 20° Weft; and the moft advanced point o f
land to the Weft, bore Weft, half a point South, diftant fix or
feven leagues. We had, from feveral bearings, afcertained
the true direction of the coaft from the Foreland to this
point, wich I fhall diftinguifh by the name of Prince of
Wales’s Foreland. It is fituated in the latitude of 22° 29' S.,
longitude 166° 57' E., is of a confiderable height, and, when
it firft appears above the horizon, looks like an ifland. From
this cape, the coaft trended nearly N. W. This was rather
too northerly a direction to join that part which we faw
7 from
from the hills of Balade. But as it was very high land
which opened off' the cape in that direction, it is very pro- - ----<
bable that lower land, which we could not fee, opened fooner;
or elfe the coaft more to the N. W. takes a more wefterly
direction, in the fame manner as the N. E. coaft. Be this as
it may, we pretty well know the extent of the land, by
having it confined within certain limits. However, I ftill
entertained hopes of feeing more of i t ; but was difap-
pointed.
The little ifle upon which we landed, is a mere fand bank,
not exceeding three-fourths of a mile in circuit, and on it, be-
fides thefe pines, grew the Etos tree of Otaheite, and a variety
of other trees, fhrubs, and plants. Thefe gave fufficient employment
to our botanifts, all the time we flayed upon it, and
occafioned my calling it Botany Ifle. On it were feveral
water-fnakes, fome pigeons and doves, feemingly different
from any we had feen. One of the officers fliot a hawk,
which proved to be of the very fame fort as our Engliffi fiffi-
ing-hawks. Several fire-places, branches, and leaves very
little decayed, remains of turtle, &c. fliewed that people had
lately been on the ifle. The hull of a canoe, precifely of the
fame ffiape as thofe we had feen at Balade, lay wrecked in
the fand. We were now no longer at a lofs to know of what
trees they make their canoes, as they can be no other than
thefe pines. Oh this little ifle were fome which meafured
twenty inches diameter, and between fixty and feventy feet
in length, and would have done very well for a foremaft to
the Refolution, had one been wanting. Since trees of this
fize are to be found on fo fmall a fpot, it is reafonable to
expeCt to find fome much larger on the main, and larger ifles;
and, if appearances did not deceive us, we can aflert it.
T 3 If