88 cook's second voyage august, 



them, which, with the annexed chart, will convey to 

 the reader a better idea of the whole group. 



The northern islands of this archipelago were first 

 discovered by that great navigator, Quiros, in 1606 ; 

 and, not without reason, were considered as part of 

 the southern continent, which, at that time, and un- 

 til very lately, was supposed to exist. They were 

 next visited by M. de Bougainville, in 1768 ; who, 

 besides landing on the Isle of Lepers, did no more 

 than discover that the land was not connected, but 

 composed of islands, which he called the Great Cy- 

 clades. But as, besides ascertaining the extent and 

 situation of these islands, we added to them several 

 new ones which were not known before, and ex- 

 plored the whole, I think we have obtained a right 

 to name them ; and shall in future distinguish them 

 by the name of the New Hebrides. They are situ- 

 ated between the latitude of 14° 29' and 20° 4' South, 

 and between 166° 41' and 170° 21' East longitude, 

 and extend an hundred and twenty-five leagues in the 

 direction of N. N. W. 1 West, and S. S. E. i East. 



The most northern island is that called by M. de 

 Bougainville Peak of the Etoile. It is situated, ac- 

 cording to his account, in latitude 14° 29', longitude 

 168° 9'; and, N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora. 



The next island, which lies farthest north, is that 

 of Tierra del Espiritu Santo- It is the most western 

 and largest of all the Hebrides, being twenty-two 

 leagues long, in the direction of N. N. W. \ West, 

 and S. S. E. \ East, twelve in breadth, and sixty in 

 circuit. We have obtained the true figure of this 

 island very accurately. The land of it, especially 

 the west side, is exceedingly high and mountainous ; 

 and, in many places, the hills rise directly from the 

 sea. Except the cliffs and beaches, every other part 

 is covered with wood, or laid out in plantations. 

 Besides the bay of St. Philip and St. Jago, the isles 

 which lie along the south and east coast, cannot, in 



