Future distinguish them by the name of the New Hebrides.
They are situated between the latitude of 14 deg. 29' and 20 deg. 4' S., and
between 166 deg. 41' and 170 deg. 21' E. longitude, and extend an hundred and
twenty-five leagues in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2 E.
The most northern island is that called by M. de Bougainville, Peak of the
Etoile; it is situated, according to his account, in latitude, 14 deg. 29',
longitude 168 deg. 9'; and N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora.
The next island, which lies farthest north, is that of Tierra del Espiritu
Santo. It is the most western and largest of all the Hebrides, being
twenty-two leagues long, in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2
E., twelve in breadth, and sixty in circuit. We have obtained the true
figure of this island very accurately. The land of it, especially the west
side, is exceedingly high and mountainous; and, in many places the hills
rise directly from the sea. Except the cliffs and beaches, every other part
is covered with wood, or laid out in plantations. Besides the bay of St
Philip and St Jago, the isles which lie along the south and east coast,
cannot, in my opinion, fail of forming some good bays or harbours.
The next considerable island is that of Mallicollo. To the S.E. it extends
N.W. and S.E., and is eighteen leagues long in that direction. Its greatest
breadth, which is at the S.E, end, is eight leagues. The N.W. end is two-
thirds this breadth, and near the middle, one-third. This contraction is
occasioned by a wide and pretty deep bay on the S.W. side. To judge of this
island from what we saw of it, it must be very fertile and well inhabited.
The land on the sea-coast is rather low, and lies with a gentle slope from
the hills which are in the middle of the island. Two-thirds of the N.E.
coast was only seen at a great distance; therefore the delineations of it
can have no pretensions to accuracy; but the other parts, I apprehend, are
without any material errors.
St Bartholomew lies between the S.E. end of Tierra del Espiritu Santo, and
the north end of Mallicollo; and the distance between it and the latter is
eight miles. This is the passage through which M. de Bougainville went; and
the middle of it is in latitude 15 deg. 48'.
The Isle of Lepers lies between Espiritu Santo and Aurora Island, eight
leagues from the former, and three from the latter, in latitude 15 deg. 22',
and nearly under the same meridian as the S.E.. end of Mallicollo. It is of
an egg-like figure, very high, and eighteen or twenty leagues in circuit.
Its limits were determined by several bearings; but the lines of the shore
were traced out by guess, except the N.E. part where there is anchorage
half a mile from the land.
Aurora, Whitsuntide, Ambrym, Paoom, and its neighbour Apee, Threehills, and
Sandwich Islands, lie all nearly under the meridian of 167 deg. 29' or 30' E.,
extending from the latitude of 14 deg. 51' 30", to 17 deg. 53' 30".
The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and S. by E., and is eleven leagues long
in that direction; but I believe, it hardly any where exceeds two or two
and a half in breadth. It hath a good height, its surface hilly, and every
where covered with wood, except where the natives have their dwellings and
plantations.
Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half to the south of Aurora, is
of the same length, and lies in the direction of north and south, but is
something broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, and clothed
with wood, except such parts as seemed to be cultivated, which were pretty
numerous.
From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the north side of Ambrym is two
leagues and a half. This is about seventeen leagues in circuit; its shores
are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal ascent to a tolerably
high mountain in the middle of the island, from which ascended great
columns of smoke; but we were not able to determine whether this was
occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is fertile and well inhabited,
seems probable from the quantities of smoke which we saw rise out of the
woods, in such parts of the island as came within the compass of our sight;
for it must be observed, that we did not see the whole of it.
We saw still much less of Paoom and its neighbourhood. I can say no more of
this island than that it towers up to a great height in the form of a round
hay-stack; and the extent of it, and of the adjoining isle (if there are
two), cannot exceed three or four leagues in any direction; for the
distance between Ambrym and Apee is hardly five; and they lie in this
space, and east from Port Sandwich, distant about seven or eight leagues.
The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues in circuit; its longest
direction is about eight leagues N.W. and S.E.; it is of considerable
height; and hath a hilly surface diversified with woods and lawns, the west
and south parts especially; for the others we did not see.
Shepherd's Isles are a group of small ones of unequal size, extending off
from the S.E. point of Apee about five leagues in the direction of S.E.
