New
Caledonia; and, if we except New Zealand, it is perhaps the largest island
in the South Pacific Ocean. For it extends from the latitude of 19 deg. 37', to
22 deg. 30', S., and from the longitude of 163 deg. 37' to 167 deg. 14' E. It lies
nearly N.W. 1/2 W., and S.E. 1 E., and is about eighty-seven leagues long
in that direction; but its breadth is not considerable, not any where
exceeding ten leagues. It is a country full of hills and valleys; of
various extent both for height and depth. To judge of the whole by the
parts we were on, from these hills spring vast numbers of little rivulets,
which greatly contribute to fertilize the plains, and to supply all the
wants of the inhabitants. The summits of most of the hills seem to be
barren; though some few are cloathed with wood; as are all the plains and
valleys. By reason of these hills, many parts of the coast, when at a
distance from it, appeared indented, or to have great inlets between the
hills; but, when we came near the shore, we always found such places shut
up with low land, and also observed low land to lie along the coast between
the seashore and the foot of the hills. As this was the case in all such
parts as we came near enough to see, 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, etc.; 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 ch