eaftward o f Three Hummock Ifland; in which cafe the pointed
part of the main, whofe vegetation bore fo great a refemblance to
that o f Three Hummock Ifland, would alio be an ifland. They
pafled fufficiently near to determine that they were high, fteep, and
difficult of accefs. Their tops and Hoping parts were grown over
with either coarfe grafs or ffiort bruffi ; but not any trees appeared.
The largeft might be feven or eight miles in circuit, the fmaller
were mere maffes of rock o f various lizes ; and the whole duller,
in number about twelve, including Three Hummock Ifland, obtained
the name o f Hunter s Ifles.
A freffi gale at E. N. E. and a heavy fwell from the S. \V. drove
the veffel fall to the fouthward and weftward; and on the 1 ith,
the gale having moderated, they ftretched in for the land, a large extent
o f which was indiftindly vifible through a light haze that hung
about the horizon. At noon the latitude was 4 1 0 13 ', and the longitude
14 8 ° 58'. With a freffi breeze at N. N. E. they bore away
along the ffiore, which trends to the S. E. by E. and was diftant
three or four miles.
From a ffiore of beach, with ffiort rocky points at intervals, the
land rofe gradually to a confiderable height, the afpedt o f which was
barren and bruffiy, and the foil fandy. Several ffiort reefs o f rocks
lay in front o f the beaches, and broke the long fwell into a furf o f
a tremendous appearance.
Dreading a gale o f wind from the weft, which was threatening,
and might have proved fatal to their little veffel, they hauled out to
the S. S. W .; but the weather remained moderate.
On the following morning the wind flew round to the northward,
and they continued their route along the ffiore. Early in
the forenoon they pafled a Angularly formed point, with a number
o f lumps of rock lying fome two or three miles off it to the S. W.
It refembled an artificial pier, or mole, with warehoufes upon it,
and a light-houfe on the end next the water. Large maffes o f detached
tached oblong rocks gave the appearance of warehoufes, and a remarkably
long one Handing upon its end, that of the light-houfe.
Their latitude at noon was 4 2 “ 02' and the longitude 145° 16 ';
the coaft ftill trended to the S. S. E. and the land began to change
that uniformly regular figure which it had hitherto preferved. It
was becoming mountainous and uneven, but was ftill barren.
CHAP.