8

1798             large island, extending from south-three quarters-east about
February       five leagues, to north-east-quarter-north three leagues; our
Friday 9th     distance from the above shore was not more than three-and-half miles.
An island, moderately high lies one a mile and a half from the north end, within which we proposed to pass, and made sail accordingly with a breeze from the south-west. A high, ragged island of about two miles in length, bore north-three quarters-west eight or nine miles, with a rock lying nearly half a mile off the east end of it. The large island is moderately high, irregular, and seems composed of rocks and sand, though in most places it is covered with brush. When entering the channel, we found breakers running nearly across, close to us; and although it was not quite certain, that the tide was not the occasion of it; yet, as being the safest, we stood round the island; which appeared, like the large one, to be rocks and sand; as was another of nearly the same size, which we likewise passed without, on seeing a rock with breakers round it, lying in the channel. Having cleared these islands (to the northward of which no land was visible) we stood to the southward along an extensive beach of the large island, at the distance of four or five miles. The island extended as far as we could see to the southward, and from its magnitude, we now began to consider it as part of the main.