1773- ROUND THE WORLD. 199 



among which were many cocoa-nut trees. We saw 

 no people, or signs of inhabitants ; and had reason to 

 think there were none. The situation of this isle, 

 which is .in the latitude of 19 IS' south, longitude 

 158 54' west, is not very different from that assigned 

 by Mr. Dalrymple to La Dezena. But as this is a 

 point not easily determined, I named it Hervey's 

 Island, in honour of the Honourable Captain Hervey 

 of the Navy, one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and 

 now Earl of Bristol. 



As the landing on this isle, if practicable, would 

 have caused a xlelay which I could ill spare at this 

 time, we resumed our course to the west ; and on the 

 L 25th we again began to use our sea-biscuit, the fruit, 

 which had served as a succedaneum, being all con- 

 sumed \ but our stock of fresh pork still continued, 

 each man having as much every day as was needful. 

 In our route to the west, we now and then saw men- 

 of-war, and tropic birds, and a small sea bird, which is 

 seldom seen but near the shores of the isles; we 

 therefore conjectured that we had passed some land 

 at no great distance. As we advanced to the west, 

 the variation of the compass gradually increased, so 

 that on the 29th, being in the latitude of 21 26' 

 south, longitude 170 40' west, it was 10 45' east. 



At two o'clock P.M. on the 1st of October, we 

 made the island of Middleburg, bearing W. S. W., at 

 six o'clock it extended from S. W. by W. to N. W., 

 distant four leagues, at which time another land was 

 seen in the direction of N. N. W. The wind being 

 at S. S. E., I hauled to the S., in order to get round 

 the south end of the island before the morning ; but 

 at eight o'clock a small island was seen lying off it, 

 and not knowing but they might be connected by a 

 reef, the extent of which we must be ignorant of, I 

 resolved to spend the night where we were. At 

 day -break the next morning, we bore up for the S. W. 

 side of Middleburg, passing between it and the little 



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