manner in which the ship was managed; for, as we were standing to the north, the people on the lee-gangway and forecastle saw breakers under the lee-bow, which we escaped by quickly tacking the ship." Having cast anchor near a small isle, which from the abundance of plants it afforded was named Botany Isle, the Captain and the naturalists went ashore in a boat, and enjoyed themselves in examining the productions of the place, particularly the pines, which had been the subject of dispute. They proved to be a kind of spruce pine, tall, straight, and with short branches; excellently adapted for masts and spars. A few of the smaller trees were cut down for spars, and taken on board. Some of the pines were so large and tall, that one of them would have done very well for a fore-mast to the Resolution, had one been wanted: and much larger trees were seen on the main land, and in the Isle of Pines.
When the Resolution, by returning a little towards the S.E., escaped with some difficulty out of this labyrinth of rocks, shoals, and sandy isles, our navigator intended to proceed round the south point of New Caledonia, which he named Prince of Wales's Foreland, and explore the other side of this large island; notwithstanding the difficulties. and dangers presented by reefs and sand banks: but when he got into the open sea, on saturday, Oct. 1st, he was compelled by strong westerly winds to abandon his design. He regretted that he had not got the small vessel set up, of which the frame work was on board; as in that case, he might have used the small vessel in examining the other side of New Caledonia, while the Resolution might have remained at anchor. It was
