90 COOK S SECOND VOYAGE AUGUST, 



The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and 8. by E., 

 and is eleven leagues long in that direction ; but I 

 believe it hardly any where exceeds two or two and 

 a half in breadth. It hath a good heighth, its sur- 

 face hilly, and every where covered with wood, 

 except where the natives have their dwellings and 

 plantations. 



Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half 

 to the south of Aurora, is of the same length, and lies 

 in the direction of north and south, but is something 

 broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, 

 and clothed with wood, except such parts as seemed 

 to be cultivated, which were pretty numerous. 



From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the 

 north side of Ambrym is two leagues and an half. 

 This is about seventeen leagues in circuit ; its shores 

 are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal 

 ascent to a tolerably high mountain in the middle of 

 the island, from which ascended great columns of 

 smoke ; but we were not able to determine whether 

 this was occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is 

 fertile and well inhabited seems probable from the 

 quantities of smoke which we saw rise out of the 

 woods, in such parts of the island as came within the 

 compass of our sight ; for it must be observed, that 

 we did not see the whole of it. 



We saw still much less of Paoom, and its neigh- 

 bourhood. I can say no more of this island than 

 that it towers up to a great height, in the form of a 

 round hay-stack ; and the extent of it, and of the ad- 

 joining isle (if there are two) cannot exceed three 

 or four leagues in any direction ; for the distance 

 between Ambrym and Apee is hardly five ; and they 

 lie in this space, and east from Port Sandwich, 

 distant about seven or eight leagues. 



The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues 

 in circuit ; its longest direction is about eight leagues 

 N. W. and S. E. ; it is of considerable height, and 

 hath a hilly surface, diversified with woods and lawns, 



