been so much more imminent.

The passage or channel, through which we passed into the open sea beyond
the reef, lies in latitude 14 deg. 32' S. and may always be known by the
three high islands within it, which I have called the _Islands of
Direction_, because by these a stranger may find a safe passage through
the reef quite to the main. The channel lies from Lizard Island N.E. 1/2
N. distant three leagues, and is about one-third of a mile broad, and
not more in length. Lizard Island, which is, as I have before observed,
the largest and the northermost of the three, affords safe anchorage
under the north-west side, fresh water, and wood for fuel. The low
islands and shoals also which lie between it and the main abound with
turtle and fish, which may probably be caught in all seasons of the
year, except when the weather is very tempestuous; so that, all things
considered, there is not perhaps a better place for ships to refresh at
upon the whole coast than this island. And before I dismiss it, I must
observe, that we found upon it, as well as upon the beach in and about
Endeavour River, bamboos, cocoa-nuts, pumice-stone, and the seeds of
plants which are not the produce of this country, and which it is
reasonable to suppose are brought from the eastward by the trade-winds.
The islands which were discovered by Quiros, and called Australia del
Espiritu Santa, lie in this parallel, but how far to the eastward cannot
now be ascertained: In most charts they are placed in the same longitude
with this country, which, as appears by the account of his voyage that
has been published, he never saw; for that places his discoveries no
less than two-and-twenty degrees to the eastward of it.[85]

[Footnote 85: The islands form part of what is now called New Hebrides.
We shall have occasion to speak of them when we treat of a subsequent
voyage, it is needless to say a word about them at present.--E.]

As soon as we were without the reef, we brought-to, and having hoisted
in the boats, we stood off and on upon a wind all night; for I was not
willing to run to leeward till I had a whole day before me. In the
morning, at daybreak, Lizard Island bore S. 15 E. distant ten leagues,
and we then made sail and stood away N.N.W. 1/2 W. till nine o'clock,
when we stood N.W. 1/2 N. having the advantage of a fresh gale at S.E.
At noon, our latitude, by observation, was I3 deg. 46' S. and at this time
we had no land in sight. At six in the evening