278 COOK S SECOND VOYAGE MARCH, 



CHAP. VII. 



SEQUEL OF THE PASSAGE FROM NEW ZEALAND TO EASTER 

 ISLAND, AND TRANSACTIONS THERE, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF 

 AN EXPEDITION TO DISCOVER THE INLAND PART OF THE 

 COUNTRY, AND A DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE SURPRISING 

 GIGANTIC STATUES FOUND IN THE ISLAND. 



-At eight o'clock in the morning on the 11th, land 

 was seen, from the mast-head, bearing west, and at 

 noon from the deck, extending from W. f N. to W. 

 by S. about twelve leagues distant. I made no doubt 

 that this was Davis's Land, or Easter Island, as its 

 appearance from this situation corresponded very 

 well with Wafer's account ; and we expected to have 

 seen the low sandy isle that Davis fell in with, which 

 would have been a confirmation ; but in this we were 

 disappointed. At seven o'clock in the evening, the 

 island bore from N. 62 W. to N. 87 W., about five 

 leagues distant; in which situation we sounded, with- 

 out finding ground, with a line of an hundred and 

 forty fathoms. Here we spent the night, having al- 

 ternately light airs and calms, till ten o'clock the next 

 morning, when a breeze sprung up at west-south- 

 west. With this we stretched in for the land ; and, 

 by the help of our glass, discovered people, and some 

 of those colossian statues or idols mentioned by the 

 authors of Rogge win's Voyage. * At four o'clock 

 in the afternoon, we were half a league south-south- 

 east, and north-north-west of the north-east point of 

 the island ; and, on sounding, found thirty-five fa- 

 thoms, a dark sandy bottom. I now tacked and en- 

 deavoured to get into what appeared to be a bay, on 



* See Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages, vol. ii. 



