17?0. ROUND THE WORLD. 197 



extremity of the main land in sight bore S. 43 W., 

 distant between four and five leagues, and appeared 

 to be extremely low, the south-west point of the largest 

 island on the north-west side of the passage bore 

 N. 71 W., distant eight miles, and this point I called 

 Cape Cornwall. It lies in latitude 10 43' S., longi- 

 tude 219 W. ; and some low lands that lie about the 

 middle of the passage, which I called Wallis's 

 Isles, bore W. by S. S., distant about two 

 leagues : our latitude, by observation, was 10 46' S. 

 We continued to advance with the tide of flood 

 W. N. W., having little wind, and from eight to five 

 fathom water. At half an hour after one, the pin- 

 nace, which was ahead, made the signal for shoal 

 water, upon which we tacked, and sent away the 

 yawl to sound also : we then tacked again, and stood 

 after them : in about two hours, they both made the 

 signal for shoal water, and the tide being nearly at 

 its greatest height, I was afraid to stand on, as run- 

 ning aground at that time might be fatal ; I there- 

 fore came to an anchor in somewhat less than seven 

 fathom, sandy ground. Wallis's Islands bore S. by 

 W. W., distant five or six miles, the islands to the 

 northward extended from S. 73 E. to N. 10 E., and a 

 small island, which was just in sight, bore N. W. W. 

 Here we found the flood tide set to the westward, 

 and the ebb to the eastward. 



After we had come to an anchor, I sent away the 

 master in the long-boat to sound, who, upon his re- 

 turn in the evening, reported, that there was a bank 

 stretching north and south, upon which there were 

 but three fathom, and that beyond it there were 

 seven. About this time it fell calm, and continued 

 so till nine the next morning, when we weighed, 

 with a light breeze at S. S. E., and steered N. W. by 

 W. for the small island which was just in sight, hav- 

 ing first sent the boats ahead to sound : the depth of 

 water was eight, seven, six, five, and four fathom, 

 and three fathom upon the bank, it being now the 



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