tolerable high Islands, which I called Sir Charles Hardy's Isles;[1] those which lay off the Cape I named Cockburn Isles.[2]
Monday, 20th.—Fresh breezes at E.S.E. About one P.M. the pinnace having got ahead, and the Yawl we took in Tow, we fill'd and Steer'd N. by W., for some small Islands we had in that direction. After approaching them a little nearer we found them join'd or connected together by a large Reef; upon this we Edged away N.W., and left them on our Starboard hand, steering between them and the Island laying off the Main, having a fair and Clear Passage; Depth of Water from 15 to 23 fathoms. At 4 we discover'd some low Islands and Rocks bearing W.N.W., which we stood directly for. At half Past 6 we Anchor'd on the N.E. side of the Northermost, in 16 fathoms, distant from the Island one Mile. This Isle lay N.W. 4 Leagues from C. Grenville. On the Isles we saw a good many Birds, which occasioned my calling them Bird Isles. Before and at Sunset we could see the Main land, which appear'd all very low and sandy, Extends as far to the Northward as N.W. by N., and some Shoals, Keys, and low sandy Isles away to the N.E. of us. At 6 A.M. we got again under sail, with a fresh breeze at E., and stood away N.N.W. for some low Islands[3] we saw in that direction; but we had not stood long upon this Course before we were obliged to haul close upon a wind in Order to weather a Shoal which we discover'd on our Larboard bow, having at the same time others to the Eastward of us. By such time as we had weathered the Shoal to Leeward we had brought the Islands well upon our Leebow; but seeing some Shoals spit off from them, and some rocks on our Starboard bow, which we did not discover until we were very near them, made me afraid to go to windward of the Islands; wherefore we brought too, and made the signal for the pinnace, which was a head, to come on board, which done, I sent her to Leeward of the Islands, with Orders to keep along the Edge off the Shoal, which spitted off from the South side of the Southermost Island. The Yawl I sent to run over the Shoals to look for Turtle, and appointed them a Signal to make in case they saw many; if not, she was to meet us on the other side of the Island. As soon as the pinnace had got a proper distance from us we wore, and stood After her, and run to Leeward of the Islands, where we took the Yawl in Tow, she having seen only one small Turtle, and therefore made no Stay upon the Shoal. Upon
- ↑ Admiral Sir C. Hardy was second in command in Hawke's great action in Quiberon Bay, 1759.
- ↑ Admiral George Cockburn was a Commissioner of Longitude and Comptroller of the Navy when Cook left England.
Off C. Grenville the Endeavour again got into what is now the recognised channel along the land inside the reefs. - ↑ Boydong Keys.
