this place on the
22d, about three o'clock in the afternoon. At nine in the evening, the
ship being about two miles distant from the shore, Cape Gallant bore
W.1/2 N. distant two leagues, Cape Holland E. by N. distant six leagues;
Cape Gallant and Cape Holland being nearly in one: A white patch in
Monmouth's Island bore S.S.W.3/4 W. Rupert's Island W.S.W. At this place
the strait is not more than five miles over; and we found a tide which
produced a very unusual effect, for it became impossible to keep the
ship's head upon any point.

At six the next morning, the Swallow made the signal for having found
anchorage; and at eight we anchored in a bay under Cape Gallant, in ten
fathom, with a muddy bottom. The east point of Cape Gallant bore S.W. by
1/4 W. the extreme point of the eastermost land E. by S. a point making
the mouth of a river N. by W. and the white patch on Charles' Island
S.W. The boats being sent out to sound, found good anchorage
every-where, except within two cables' length S.W. of the ship, where it
was coral, and deepened to sixteen fathom. In the afternoon I sent out
the master to examine the bay and a large lagoon; and he reported that
the lagoon was the most commodious harbour we had yet seen in the
strait, having five fathom at the entrance, and from four to five in the
middle; that it was capable of receiving a great number of vessels, had
three large fresh-water rivers, and plenty of wood and celery. We had
here the misfortune to have a seine spoiled, by being entangled with the
wood that lies sunk at the mouth of these rivers; but though we caught
but little fish, we had an incredible number of wild ducks, which we
found a very good succedaneum.

The mountains are here very lofty, and the master of the Swallow climbed
one of the highest, hoping that from the summit he should obtain a sight
of the South Sea; but he found his view intercepted by mountains still
higher on the southern shore: Before he descended, however, he erected a
pyramid, within which he deposited a bottle containing a shilling, and a
paper on which was written the ship's name, and the date of the year; a
memorial which possibly may remain there as long as the world endures.

In the morning of the 24th we took two boats and examined Cordes bay,
which we found very much inferior to that in which the ship lay; it had
indeed a larger lagoon, but the entrance of it was very narrow, and
barred by a shoal, on which there was not suf