

1 77^- ROUND THE WORLD. 177 



the three high islands, without which I was clearly 

 >f" opinion there were more islands, and not any part 

 of the main. Except the point I was now upon, 

 which I called Point Look-out, and Cape Flattery, 

 the main land, to the northward of Cape Bedford, is 

 low, and chequered with white sand and green 

 bushes, for ten or twelve miles inland, beyond which 

 it rises to a considerable height. To the northward 

 of Point Look-out the coast appeared to be shoal 

 and flat for a considerable distance, which did not 

 encourage the hope that the channel we had hitherto 

 found in with the land would continue. Upon this 

 point, which was narrow, and consisted of the finest 

 white sand we had ever seen, we discovered the 

 footsteps of people, and we saw also smoke and fire 

 at a distance up the country. 



In the evening I returned to the ship, and re- 

 solved the next morning to visit one of the high 

 islands in the offing, from the top of which, as they 

 lay five leagues out to sea, I hoped to discover more 

 distinctly the situation of the shoals, and the channel 

 between them. 



In the morning therefore of the 11th I set out 

 in the pinnace, accompanied by Mr. Banks, whose 

 fortitude and curiosity made him a party in every ex- 

 pedition, for the northernmost and largest of the three 

 islands, and at the same time I sent the master in the 

 yawl to leeward, to sound between the low islands and 

 the main. In my way I passed over a reef of coral 

 rock and sand, which lies about two leagues from 

 the island, and I left another to leeward, which lies 

 about three miles from it : on the north part of the 

 reef, to the leeward, there is a low sandy island, with 

 trees upon it ; and upon the reef which we passed 

 over, we saw several turtle : we chased one or two, 

 but having little time to spare, and the wind blowing 

 fresh, we did not take any. 



About one o'clock we reached the island, and 

 immediately ascended the highest hill, with a mix- 



VOL. II. N 



