In the afternoon, as we plied near the shore, three canoes came off to us; one had four men in her, the others two apiece.  That with the four men came pretty nigh us, and showed us a cocoa-nut and water in a bamboo, making signs that there was enough ashore where they lived; they pointed to the place where they would have us go, and so went away.  We saw a small round pretty high island about a league to the north of this headland, within which there was a large deep bay, whither the canoes went; and we strove to get thither before night, but could not; wherefore we stood off, and saw land to the westward of this headland, bearing west-by-south-half-south distance about ten leagues, and, as we thought, still more land bearing south-west-by-south, distance twelve or fourteen leagues, but being clouded, it disappeared, and we thought we had been deceived.  Before night we opened the headland fair, and I named it Cape St. George.  The land from hence trends away west-north-west about ten leagues, which is as far as we could see it; and the land that we saw to the westward of it in the evening, which bore west-by-south-half-south, was another point about ten leagues from Cape St. George; between which there runs in a deep bay for twenty leagues or more.  We saw some high land in spots like islands, down in that bay at a great distance; but whether they are islands, or the main closing there we know not.  The next morning we saw other land to the south-east of the westernmost point, which till then was clouded; it was very high land, and the same that we saw the day before, that disappeared in a cloud.  This Cape St. George lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 5 minutes south; and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,290 miles.  The island off this cape I called St. George’s Isle; and the bay between it and the west point I named St. George’s Bay. [Note:—­No Dutch drafts go so far as this cape by ten leagues.] On the 10th, in the evening, we got within a league of the westernmost land seen, which is pretty high and very woody, but no appearance of anchoring.  I stood off again, designing, if possible, to ply to and fro in this bay till I found a conveniency to wood and water.  We saw no more plantations nor cocoa-nut trees; yet in the night we discerned a small fire right against us.  The next morning we saw a burning mountain in the country.  It was round, high, and peaked at top, as most volcanoes are, and sent forth a great quantity of smoke.  We took up a log of driftwood, and split it for firing; in which we found some small fish.

The day after we passed by the south-west cape of this bay, leaving it to the north of us.  When we were abreast of it I called my officers together, and named it Cape Orford, in honour of my noble patron, drinking his Lordship’s health.  This cape bears from Cape St. George south-west about eighteen leagues.  Between them there is a bay about twenty-five leagues deep, having pretty high land all round it,