1776. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 155 



sula, Repulse Bay; and a branch of it seemed to run 

 a good way inland towards the S. S. W. Leaving 

 this, we steered for the northern point of the penin- 

 sula, which we named Howe's Foreland, in honour 

 of Admiral Lord Howe. 



As we drew near it, we perceived some rocks and 

 breakers near the N. W. part; and two islands a 

 league and a half to the eastward of it, which, at 

 first, appeared as one. I steered between them and 

 the Foreland*, and was in the middle of the channel 

 by noon. At that time our latitude, by observation, 

 was 48 51' S., and we had made twenty-six miles of 

 E. longitude from Cape St. Louis, t 



From this situation, the most advanced land to the 

 southward bore S. E. ; but the trending of the coast 

 from the foreland was more southerly. The islands 

 which lie ofFChrismas Harbour bore N.; and the N. 

 point of the foreland, N. 60 W., distant three miles. 

 The land of this peninsula, or foreland, is of a 

 moderate height, and of a hilly and rocky substance. 

 The coast is low, with rocky- points shooting out from 

 it; between which points are little coves, with sandy 

 beaches; and these, at this time, were mostly covered 

 with sea birds. We also saw upon them some seals. 



As soon as we were clear of the rocks and islands 

 before mentioned, I gave orders to steer S. E. by S., 

 along the coast. But before these orders could be 

 carried into execution, we discovered the whole sea 

 before us to be chequered with large beds of rock- 



* Though Kerguelen's ships, in 1773, did not venture to explore 

 this part of the coast, Monsieur de Pages' account of it answers 

 well to Captain Cook's. " Du 17 au 23, Ton ne prit d'autre con- 

 " noissance que celle de la figure de la cote, qui, courant d'abord 

 " au S. E., et revenant ensuite au N. E., formoit un grand golfe. 

 " 11 etoit occupe" par des brisans et des rochers; il avoit aussi une 

 " isle basse, et assez etendue, et Ton usa d'une bien soigneuse pre- 

 " caution, pour ne pas s'affaler dans ce golfe." Voyage du M* de 

 Pages, torn. ii. p. 67. 

 -f Cap Francois. 



