II

november 26. At day break we saw land; ¹ our proceedings in spreading the Ships, & Lying too during the Night are proofs that our Captain judged it probable, that Islands might extend to the Eastward, in nearly the same latitude, of those we saw the beginning of the Year. Its first appearance was very high & of a considerable extent, as the [day] brightned the high land appear'd to be separated into two Islands, the Westermost part of the East or nearest one declin'd gradually to low land. ½ past 6 we bore away in order to go between these Islands, steering along & in the direction of the Coast at about 4 or 5 miles distant from it; the Land on the Sea side was of a good height, that is higher than Beachy head, of a perpendicular rise & Cliffy. In our approach to it we remarkd that from this high cliffy Sea coast it rose gradually to a very high hill or Mountain, ² for some distance i[t]s Ascent was but triffling, & on this part flattish, nearly free of Wood, or only in patches, but when it afterwards rose with a quicker ascent, it appear'd entirely cloath'd with wood near the top; the top itself was so coverd with Clouds, or haze, & we were besides so distant, that we could not judge of what grew there: The land was cut in many places, into deep & Narrow Valleys by (we suppos'd) torrents from the high Mountains; & some of these form'd beautiful cascades down the Cliffy Coast. As we continued on we found the low land to extend still further, & at last we made it join the high land to the West; this lowland goes in a rounding direction & has a fine beach by the Sea side, but a great surf going on it, we were not pleased with seeing it as it gave but poor prospects of meeting w^th harbours. At 11 we saw still further to nw more land, which we had little doubt of being another Island. ³ At Noon the Extreams of the Eastermost Island bore e½n & n 80 w & the bottom of the bay which the lowland makes bore swbs, the Island to the nw, n 79 w & n 66 w, the nearest se 4 or 5 miles; by 10 we saw the Canoes of the Natives pulling towards the Ships on which the Captain had the Articles of War read, & orders consisting of different Articles relating to the purchasing of Provisions, & buying Curiosities, which

1778

496for the latter was in strong terms forbid, & the former to be purchas'd by those only that he should appoint; relating to Women, which were not to be admitted on board without his leave, & to our general treatment of the Natives; After the reading of these, the Captⁿ made a sensible speech, in order to enforce a strict observance of these Articles &c.