it is reasonable to suppose that the
whole coast is so. I am likewise of opinion, that the whole, or greatest
part, is surrounded by reefs or shoals, which render the access to it very
dangerous, but at the same time guard the coast from the violence of the
wind and sea; make it abound with fish, secure an easy and safe navigation
along it, for canoes, &c.; and, most likely, form some good harbours for
shipping. Most, if not every part of the coast, is inhabited, the Isle of
Pines not excepted; for we saw either smoke by day, or fires by night,
wherever we came. In the extent which I have given to this island, is
included the broken or unconnected lands to the N.W. That they may be
connected; I shall not pretend to deny; we were, however, of opinion that
they were isles, and that New Caledonia terminated more to S.E.; though
this at most is but a well-founded conjecture.

But whether these lands be separate isles, or connected with New Caledonia,
it is by no means certain that we saw their termination to the west. I
think we did not; as the shoals did not end with the land we saw, but kept
their N.W. direction farther than Bougainville's track in the latitude of
15 deg. or 15 deg. 1/2. Nay, it seems not improbable, that a chain of isles, sand-
banks, and reefs, may extend to the west, as far as the coast of New South
Wales. The eastern extent of the isles and shoals off that coast, between
the latitude of 15 deg. and 23', were not known. The resemblance of the two
countries; Bougainville's meeting with the shoal of Diana above sixty
leagues from the coast; and the signs he had of land to the S.E.; all tend
to increase the probability. I must confess that it is carrying probability
and conjecture a little too far, to say what may lie in a space of two
hundred leagues; but it is in some measure necessary, were it only to put
some future navigator on his guard.

Mr Wales determined the longitude of that part of New Caledonia we
explored, by ninety-six sets of observations, which were reduced to one
another by our trusty guide the watch. I found the variation of the compass
to be 10 deg. 24' E. This is the mean variation given by the three azimuth
compasses we had on board, which would differ from each other a degree and
a half, and sometimes more. I did not observe any difference in the
variation between the N.W. and S.E. parts of this land, except when we were
at anchor before Balade, where it was less than 10 deg.; but th