little further out, but the wind suddenly dropping round to the east, he
had to set all sail to clear the shore. For a day or two no very
satisfactory anchorage could be found, and the weather was rather
unsettled, so, making one of the chiefs a present of an English sow and
boar, and a male and two female goats, the ship bore away to the
northwards.

According to Baron von Humboldt these islands were discovered by a
Spaniard, Gaetano, sailing from Manilla to Acapulco in 1542, and it was
one of the few discoveries made by the Spaniards during this passage, for
they were strictly forbidden to deviate from the track laid down on their
charts. The name La Mesa (the table) down on the chart Cook had with him,
describes the island, says Burney, but the longitude is several degrees
out. It is undoubtedly a fact that Europeans had been at the islands
previously to Cook's visit, for at least two pieces of iron were found,
one being a portion of a broad-sword and the other a piece of hoop-iron.

NEW ALBION.

On 7th March, New Albion was sighted at a distance of ten or twelve
leagues, and the position of the ship at noon was 44 degrees 33 minutes
North, 236 degrees 30 minutes East; Cook's orders were to make the coast
"about 45 degrees North," so they may be said to have been carried out
with fair exactness. Cook says that on the charts he had, a large
entrance or strait was represented, and in the account of Martin
d'Aguilar's voyage in 1603 mention is made of a large river, near where
he struck the coast, but he did not see any signs of either. Proceeding
up the coast the progress was very slow as the weather was very stormy.
On 22nd March they passed the position of the strait of Juan de Fuch, but
again no sign of its existence was seen. On the 29th the style of the
coast changed, and high snowy mountains with well-wooded valleys running
down to the sea came into view, and at length Hope Bay opened out. Here
they came in contact with the first natives they had seen, who put off in
their canoes to the ships, showing signs neither of fear nor distrust. At
first they appeared mild and inoffensive, and would trade anything they
had with them; but when they got used to the ships it turned out that
they were adepts at thieving; no piece of iron, brass, or copper was
safe. Fish-hooks were cut from the lines and boats were stripped of their
fittings. They sold bladders of oil for the lamps, and it was found that
they were often pa