1774. ROUND THE WORLD. 5 



The last discharge sent all the islanders to the woods, 

 from whence they did not return so long as we re- 

 mained. We did not know that any were hurt. It 

 was remarkable, that when I joined our party, I tried 

 my musquet in the air, and it went off* as well as a 

 piece could do. Seeing no good was to be got with 

 these people, or at the isle, as having no port, we re- 

 turned on board, and having hoisted in the boats, 

 made sail to W. S. W. I had forgot to mention, in 

 its proper order, that having put ashore a little before 

 we came to this last place, three or four of us went 

 upon the cliffs, where we found the country, as before, 

 nothing but coral rocks, all over-run with bushes ; so 

 that it was hardly possible to penetrate into it, and 

 we embarked again with intent to return directly on 

 board, till we saw the canoes ; being directed to the 

 place by the opinion of some of us, who thought they 

 heard some people. 



The conduct and aspect of these islanders oc- 

 casioned my naming it Savage Island. It is situated 

 in the latitude 19° 1' South, longitude 169° 37' West. 

 It is about eleven leagues in circuit ; of a round form, 

 and good height ; and hath deep waters close to its 

 shores. All the sea-coast, and as far inland as we 

 could see, is wholly covered with trees, shrubs, &c. 

 amongst which were some cocoa-nut trees ; but what 

 the interior parts may produce, we know not. To 

 judge of the whole garment by the skirts, it cannot 

 produce much ; for so much as we saw of it con- 

 sisted wholly of coral rocks, i all over- run with wood 

 and bushes. Not a bit of soil was to be seen ; the 

 rocks alone supplying the trees with humidity. If 

 these coral rocks were first formed in the sea by 

 animals, how came they thrown up to such a height ? 

 Has this island been raised by an earthquake? Or has 

 the sea receded from it? Some philosophers have at- 

 tempted to account for the formation of low isles, 

 such as are in this sea ; but I do not know that any 

 thing has been said of high islands, or such as I have 



b 3 



