170 LUIZ VAEZ DE TORRES. 



^^We went alonof 300 leao-ues of coast, as I have 

 mentioned^ and diminished the latitude 2|-''^ which 

 brouo'ht us into 9°. From hence we fell in with a 

 bank of from three to nine fathoms^ which extends 

 alono* the coast above 180 leao-ues. We went over 

 it along' the coast to 1\ S. latitude^ and the end 

 of it is in 5"*. We could not g*o fiu'ther on for 

 the many shoals and gTeat currents^ so we were 

 oblig-ed to sail out S.W. in that dej)th to ll'' S. 

 latitude/' 



By this time Torres had reached the Strait which 

 now bears his name^ and which he was the first to 

 pass throug'h. He continues^ . . . . ^^ We caug-ht 

 in all this land twenty persons of different nations^ 

 that with them we might be able to give a better 

 account to your Majesty. They give much notice 

 of other people^ although as yet they do not make 

 themselves well understood.''* 



M. de Bougainville^ in June^ 1768^ with two 

 vessels^ La Boudeuse and L'Etoile^ was proceeding 

 to the eastward towards the coast of Australia^ 

 when the unexpected discovery of some detached 

 reefs (Bougainville's reefs of the charts) induced 

 him to alter course and stand to the northward. 

 No land was seen for three days. ^^ On the lOth^ at 

 daybreak/' says he^ ^^ the land was discovered^ bear- 

 ing from east to N.W. Long before dawn a deli- 



* Barney's Chronological History of Voyages and Discoveries 

 in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. Vol. II. (Appendix) p. 

 475. 



