Facts Were To Determine It, And These Could Only Be Obtained
By Visiting The Southern Parts; Which Was To Be The Work Of The Ensuing
Summer, Agreeable To The Plan I Had Laid Down.
As the winds continued to
blow from the N.W. and W., we had no other choice but to stand to the
north, inclining more or less every day to the east.
In the latitude of 21 deg.
we saw flying-fish, gannets, and egg-birds. On the sixth, I hoisted a boat
out, and sent for Captain Furneaux to dinner, from whom I learnt that his
people were much better, the flux having left them, and the scurvy was at a
stand. Some cyder which he happened to have, and which he gave to the
scorbutic people, contributed not a little to this happy change. The
weather to-day was cloudy, and the wind very unsettled. This seemed to
announce the approach of the so-much-wished-for trade-wind; which, at eight
o'clock in the evening, after two hours calm, and some heavy showers of
rain, we actually got at S.E. We were, at this time, in the latitude of 19 deg.
36' S., longitude 131 deg. 32" W. The not meeting with the S.E. trade-wind
sooner, is no new thing in this sea. As we had now got it, I directed my
course to the W.N.W., as well to keep in the strength of it, as to get to
the north of the islands discovered in my former voyage; that if any other
islands lay in the way, I might have a chance to discover them.[7] During
the day-time we made all the sail we could; but, in the night, either run
an easy sail, or lay-to. We daily saw flying-fish, albacores, dolphins,
&c., but neither by striking, nor with hook and line, could we catch any of
them. This required some art, which none of my people were masters of.
On the 11th at day-break, land was seen to the south. This, upon a nearer
approach, we found to be an island of about two leagues in extent, in the
direction of N.W. and S.E., and clothed with wood, above which the cocoa-
nut trees shewed their lofty heads. I judged it to be one of those isles
discovered by Mr Bougainville. It lies in the latitude of 17 deg. 24',
longitude 141 deg. 39' W., and I called it after the name of the ship,
Resolution Island. The sickly state of the Adventure's crew made it
necessary for me to make the best of my way to Otaheite, where I was sure
of finding refreshments. Consequently I did not wait to examine this
island, which appeared too small to supply our wants, but continued our
course to the west, and at six o'clock in the evening, land was seen from
the mast-head, bearing W. by S. Probably this was another of Bougainville's
discoveries.
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