proach, from Queen Charlotte's
Island, and some more. We counted eight double canoes, and about
fourscore people, women, and children. The canoes were drawn up on the
beach, the women and children were placed near them, and the men
advanced with their pikes and firebrands, making a great noise, and
dancing in a strange manner. We observed that this island was sandy, and
that under the trees there was no verdure. As the shore was every where
rocky, as there was no anchorage, and as we had no prospect of obtaining
any refreshment here, I set sail at six o'clock in the evening, from
this island, to which I gave the name of _Egmont Island_, in honour of
the Earl of Egmont, who was then first Lord of the Admiralty. It lies in
latitude 19 deg.20'S., longitude, by observation, 138 deg.30'W.

At one o'clock, on the 11th, we saw an island in the W.S.W. and stood,
for it. At four in the afternoon, we were within a quarter of a mile of
the shore, and ran along it, sounding continually, but could get no
ground. It is surrounded on every side by rocks, on which the sea breaks
very high. It is full of trees, but not one cocoa-nut, and has much the
same appearance with Egmont Island, but is much narrower. Among the
rocks, at the west end, we saw about sixteen of the natives, but no
canoes: They carried long pikes or poles in their hands, and seemed to
be, in every respect, the same kind of people that we had seen before.
As nothing was to be had here, and it blew very hard, I made sail till
eight in the evening, and then brought to. To this island, which is
about six miles long, and from one mile to one quarter of a mile broad,
I gave the name of _Gloucester Island_, in honour of his royal highness
the Duke. It lies in latitude 19 deg.11'S., and longitude, by observation,
140 deg.4'W.

At five o'clock in the morning, we made sail, and soon after saw another
island. At ten o'clock, the weather being tempestuous, with much rain,
we saw a long reef, with breakers on each side of the island, and
therefore brought the ship to, with her head off the shore. To this
island, which lies in latitude 19 deg.18'S., longitude, by observation,
140 deg.36'W., I gave the name of _Cumberland Island_, in honour of his
royal highness the Duke. It lies low, and is about the same size as
Queen Charlotte's Island. We found the variation, of the needle here to
be 7 deg.10'E. As I had no hope of finding any refreshment here, I stood on
to the westward.

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