five or six woody islets, connected together by sand-banks
and breakers inclosing a lake, into which we could
see no entrance. We ranged the west and N.W.
coasts, from its southern to its northern-extremity,
which is about two leagues, and so near the shore,
that at one time we could see the rocks under us;
yet we found no anchorage, nor saw we any signs of
inhabitants. There were plenty of various kinds
of birds, and the coast seemed to abound with fish.
The situation of this isle is not very distant from
that assigned by Mr Dalrymple for La Sagitaria, discovered
by Quiros; but, by the description the discoverer
has given of it, it cannot be the same. For this
reason, I looked upon it as a new discovery, and named
it Palmerston Island, in honour of Lord Palmerston,
one of the lords of the Admiralty. It is situated
in latitude 18 deg. 4’ S. longitude 163 deg.
10’ W.
At four o’clock in the afternoon, we left this
isle, and resumed our course to the W. by S. with
a fine steady gale easterly, till noon on the 20th,
at which time, being in latitude 18 deg. 50’,
longitude 168 deg. 52, we thought we saw land to S.S.W.
and hauled up for it accordingly. But two hours
after, we discovered our mistake, and resumed our
course W. by S. Soon after, we saw land from the mast-head
in the same direction; and, as we drew nearer, found
it to be an island, which, at five o’clock, bore
west, distant five leagues. Here we spent the
night plying under the topsails; and at day-break
next morning, bore away, steering to the northern point,
and ranging the west coast at the distance of one
mile, till near noon. Then perceiving some people
on the shore, and landing seeming to be easy, we brought-to,
and hoisted out two boats, with which I put off to
the land, accompanied by some of the officers and
gentlemen. As we drew near the shore, some of
the inhabitants, who were on the rocks, retired to
the woods, to meet us, as we supposed; and we afterwards
found our conjectures right. We landed with ease
in a small creek, and took post on a high rock to prevent
a surprise. Here we displayed our colours, and
Mr Forster and his party began to collect plants,
&c. The coast was so over-run with woods, bushes,
plants, stones, &c. that we could not see forty yards
round us. I took two men, and with them entered
a kind of chasm, which opened a way into the woods.
We had not gone far before we heard the natives approaching;
upon which I called to Mr Forster to retire to the
party, as I did likewise. We had no sooner joined
than the islanders appeared at the entrance of a chasm
not a stone’s throw from us. We began to
speak, and make all the friendly signs we could think
of, to them, which they answered by menaces; and one
of two men, who were advanced before the rest, threw
a stone, which struck Mr Sparrman on the arm.
Upon this two muskets were fired, without order, which
made them all retire under cover of the woods; and
we saw them no more.
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