7th. This morning the land was plainly seen from the deck; it appears to be very large. About eleven a large smoke was seen, and soon after several more sure signs of inhabitants. I shot Nectris munda and Procellaria velox, and took with the dipping-net Dagysa gemma, and a good deal of Fucus sertularia, etc., the examination of which is postponed till we shall have more time than we are likely to have at present.
8th. This morning we are very near the land, which forms many white cliffs like chalk. The hills are in general clothed with trees; in the valleys some appear to be very large. The whole appearance is not so fruitful as we could wish. We stood in for a large bay in hopes of finding a harbour, and before we were well within the heads we saw several canoes standing across the bay, which after a little time returned to the place they came from without appearing to take the least notice of us. Some houses were also seen, which appeared low but neat; near one of them there were a good many people collected, who sat down upon the beach, seemingly observing us. On a small peninsular at the north-east head we could plainly see a regular paling, pretty high, inclosing the top of a hill, for what purpose many conjectures were made; most are of opinion, or say at least, that it must be either a park of deer or a field of oxen and sheep. By four o'clock we came to an anchor nearly two miles from the shore. The bay appears to be quite open, without the least shelter; the two sides of it make in high white cliffs; the middle is lowland, with hills gradually rising behind one another to a chain of high mountains inland. Here we saw many great smokes, some near the beach, others between the hills, some very far within land, which we looked upon as great indications of a populous country.
In the evening I went ashore with the marines. We marched from the boats in hopes of finding water, etc., and saw a few of the natives, who ran away immediately on seeing us. While we were absent four of them attacked our small boat, in which were only four boys. They got off
