This part of the island lies in latitude 14° 29’S., longitude 148° 50’W. and after I got on board, I hauled a little way farther from the shore, intending to visit the other island in the morning, which had been seen to the westward of that before which the ship lay, and which is distant about sixty-nine leagues from the Islands of Disappointment, in the direction of W. ½ S.

The next morning, at six o’clock, I made sail for the island which I intended to visit, and when I reached it, I steered S.W. by W. close along the north east side of it, but could get no soundings: this side is about six or seven leagues long, and the whole makes much the same appearance as the other, having a large salt water lake in the middle of it. As soon as the ship came in sight, the natives ran down to the beach in great numbers: they were armed in the same manner as those that we had seen upon the other island, and kept abreast of the ship for several leagues. As the heat of this climate is very great, they seemed to suffer much by running so far in the sun, for they sometimes plunged into the sea, and sometimes fell flat upon the sand, that the surf might break over them, after which they renewed the race with great vigour. Our boats were at this time sounding along the shore, as usual, but I had given strict orders to the officers who commanded them never to molest the natives, except it should become absolutely necessary for their own defence, but to try all possible means to obtain their confidence and good-will: our people therefore went as near to the shore as they durst for the surf, and made signs that they wanted water; the Indians readily understood them, and directed them to run down farther along the shore,

Voyaging Accounts