298 cook's SECOND VOYAGE APRIL, 



As we advanced to the west, we found the vari- 

 ation to increase but slowly ; for, on the 3d of April, 

 it was only 4 40' E., being then in the latitude 9 32', 

 longitude 132 45', by observation made at the same 

 time. 



I continued to steer to the west till the 6th, at 

 four in the afternoon, at which time, being in the 

 latitude of 9 20', longitude 138 14' W., we dis- 

 covered an island, bearing west by south, distant 

 about nine leagues. Two hours after we saw another 

 bearing south-west by south, which appeared more 

 extensive than the former. I hauled up for this 

 island, and ran under an easy sail all night, having 

 squally unsettled rainy weather, which is not very 

 uncommon in this sea when near high land. At six 

 o'clock the next morning, the first island bore north- 

 west, the second south-west -- west, and a third west. 

 I gave orders to steer for the separation between the 

 the two last, and soon after a fourth was seen, still 

 more to the west. By this time we were well assured 

 that these were the Marquesas, discovered by Men- 

 dana in 1595. The first isle was a new discovery, 

 which I named Hood's Island, after the young gentle- 

 man who first saw it ; the second was that of Saint 

 Pedro ; the third La Dominica ; and the fourth St. 

 Christina. We ranged the south-east coast of La 

 Dominica without seeing the least signs of anchorage, 

 till we came to the channel that divides it from St. 

 Christina, through which we passed, hauled overfor the 

 last-mentioned island, and ran along the coast to the 

 south-west in search of Mendana's Port. We passed 

 several coves in which there seemed to be anchorage ; 

 but a great surf broke on all the shores. Some canoes 

 put off from these places, and followed us down the 

 coast. 



At length, having come before the port we were in 

 search of, we attempted to turn into it, the wind be- 

 ing right out; but as it blew in violent squalls from 

 this high land, one of these took us just after we had 



