neighbourhood of these
islands we found its force greatly increased: This determined me, when I
sailed from Gower's island, to steer N.W. fearing we might otherwise
fall in with the main land too far to the southward; for if we had got
into any gulph or deep bay, our crew was so sickly, and our ship so bad,
that it would have been impossible for us to have got out again.

About eight o'clock in the morning of the 22d, as we were continuing our
course with a fine fresh gale, Patrick Dwyer, one of the marines, who
was doing something over the ship's quarter, by some accident missed his
hold and fell into the sea; we instantly threw overboard the canoe which
we had seized at Gower's island, brought the ship to, and hoisted out
the cutter with all possible expedition; but the poor fellow, though
remarkably strong and healthy, sunk at once, and we saw him no more. We
took the canoe on board again; but she had received so much damage by
striking against one of the guns, as the people were hoisting her
overboard, that we were obliged to cut her up.

In the night of Monday the 24th, we fell in with nine islands. They
stretch nearly N.W. by W. and S.E. by E. about fifteen leagues, and lie
in latitude 4 deg. 36' S. longitude 154 deg. 17' E. according to the ship's
account. I imagine these to be the islands which are called Ohang Java,
and were discovered by Tasman; for the situation answers very nearly to
their place in the French chart, which in the year 1756 was corrected
for the king's ships. The other islands, Carteret's, Gower's, and
Simpson's, I believe had never been seen by an European navigator
before. There is certainly much land in this part of the ocean not yet
known.

One of these islands is of considerable extent, the other eight are
scarcely better than large rocks; but though they are low and flat, they
are well covered with wood, and abound with inhabitants. The people are
black, and woolly-headed, like the negroes of Africa: Their weapons are
bows and arrows; and they have large canoes which they navigate with a
sail, one of which came near us, but would not venture on board.

We went to the northward of these islands, and steered W. by S. with a
strong south-westerly current. At eleven o'clock at night, we fell in
with another island of a considerable extent, flat, green, and of a
pleasant appearance. We saw none of its inhabitants; but it appeared by
the many fires which we saw in the night to be well peopl