We turned to windward all night, and as soon as it was light, crowded sail to get round these shoals. At nine we got round them, and named them SCILLY ISLANDS. They are a group of islands or shoals extremely dangerous; for in the night, however clear the weather, and by day, if it is hazey, a ship may run upon them without seeing land. They lie in latitude 16° 28’ S. longitude 155° 30’ W.

We continued to steer our course westward, till day-break, on the 13th of August, when we saw land bearing W. by S. and hauled towards it. At 11 o’clock in the forenoon, we saw more land in the W.S.W. At noon, the first land that we saw, which proved to be an island, bore W. ½ S. distant about five leagues, and had the appearance of a sugar loaf; the middle of the other land, which was also an island, and appeared in a peak, bore W.S.W. distant six leagues. To the first, which is nearly circular, and three miles over, I gave the name of BOSCAWEN’S ISLAND; and the other, which is three miles and a half long, and two broad, I called KEPPEL’S ISLE. Port Royal at this time bore E. 4° 10’ S. distant 478 leagues.

Voyaging Accounts