about it in every
direction.

We turned to windward all night, and as soon as it was light, crowded
sail to get round these shoals. At nine we got round them, and named
them _Scilly Islands_. They are a group of islands or shoals extremely
dangerous; for in the night, however clear the weather, and by day, if
it is hazy, a ship may run upon them without seeing land. They lie in
latitude 16 deg. 28' S. longitude 155 deg. 30' W.

We continued to steer our course westward, till daybreak on the 13th of
August, when we saw land bearing W. by S. and hauled towards it. At
eleven o'clock in the forenoon, we saw more land in the W.S.W. At noon,
the first land that we saw, which proved to be an island, bore W. 1/2 S.
distant about five leagues, and had the appearance of a sugar-loaf; the
middle of the other land, which was also an island, and appeared in a
peak, bore W.S.W. distant six leagues. To the first, which is nearly
circular, and three miles over, I gave the name of _Boscawen's Island_;
and the other, which is three miles and a half long, and two broad, I
called _Keppel's Isle_. Port Royal at this time bore E. 4 deg. 10' S.
distant 478 leagues.

At two o'clock, being about two miles distant from Boscawen's Island, we
saw several of the inhabitants; but Keppel's Isle being to windward, and
appearing more likely to afford us anchorage, we hauled up for it. At
six, it was not more than a mile and a half distant, and, with our
glasses, we saw many of the inhabitants upon the beach; but there being
breakers at a considerable distance from the shore, we stood off and on
all night.

At four o'clock the next morning, we sent off the boats to sound, and
visit the island; and as soon as it was light, we ran down and lay
over-against the middle of it. At noon, the boats returned, and reported
that they had run within a cable's length of the island, but could find
no ground: That seeing a reef of rocks lie off it, they had hauled round
it, and got into a large, deep bay which was full of rocks: That they
then sounded without the bay, and found anchorage from fourteen to
twenty fathom, with a bottom of sand and coral: That afterwards they
went again into the bay, and found a rivulet of good water, but the
shore being rocky, went in search of a better landing-place, which they
found about half a mile farther, and went ashore. They reported also,
that from the water to this landing-place, a good rolling-way might be
made for suppl