six months after we left the island, which was on the
26th of July, 1767; so that the ship's company was entirely free
fourteen months within one day, the very middle of which time we spent
at Otaheite; and the man who was first entered as a venereal patient, on
our return home, was known to have contracted the disease at the Cape of
Good Hope, where we then lay.

SECTION IX.

_Passage from Otaheite to Tinian, with some Account of several other
Islands that were discovered in the South Seas._

Having made sail from King George the Third's Island, we proceeded along
the shore of the Duke of York's Island, at the distance of about two
miles. There appeared to be good bays in every part of it, and in the
middle a fine harbour; but I did not think it worth while to go on
shore. The middle and west end is very mountainous, the east end is
lower, and the coast, just within the beach, is covered with cocoa-nut,
bread-fruit, apple, and plantain trees.

At daylight, the next morning, we saw land, for which we made sail, and
ran along the lee-side of it. On the weather-side there were very great
breakers, and the lee-side was rocky, but in many places there appeared
to be good anchorage. We saw but few inhabitants, and they appeared to
live in a manner very different from those of King George's Island,
their habitations being only small huts. We saw many cocoa-nut and other
trees upon the shore; but all of than had their heads blown away,
probably in a hurricane. This island is about six miles long, and has a
mountain of considerable height in the middle, which seems to be
fertile. It lies in latitude 17 deg. 28' S., and longitude, by our last
observation, 151 deg. 4' W. and I called it _Sir Charles Saunders's Island_.

On the 29th, the variation of the compass, by azimuth, was 7 deg. 52' E.;
and early the next morning, at day-break, we saw land bearing from N. by
E. to N.W. We stood for it, but could find no anchorage, the whole
island being surrounded by breakers. We saw smoke in two places, but no
inhabitants. A few cocoa-nut trees were growing on the lee-part of it,
and I called it _Lord Howe's Island_. It is about ten miles long, and
four broad, and lies in latitude 16 deg. 46' S., longitude, by observation,
154 deg. 13' W.

In the afternoon, we saw land bearing W. by N. and stood for it. At five
o'clock, we saw breakers running a great way out to the southward, and
soon after, low land to the S.W. and breakers all