1774. ROUND THE WORLD. 95 



CHAP. VIII. 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF NEW CALEDONIA, AND 

 THE INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED WHILE THE SHIP LAY 

 IN BALADE. 



At sun-rise on the 1st of September, after having 

 stood to S. W. all night, no more land was to be 

 seen. The wind remaining in the S. E. quarter, we 

 continued to stand to S. W. On the 2d, at five 

 o'clock P. M., being in the latitude 18° 22', longitude 

 165° 26', the variation was 10° 50' East; and at the 

 same hour on the 3d, it was 10° 51', latitude at that 

 time 19° 14/, longitude 165° East. The next 

 morning, in the latitude of 19° 49', longitude 164*° 53', 

 the amplitude gave 10° 21', and the azimuths 10° T 

 East. At eight o'clock, as we were steering to the 

 south, land was discovered bearing S. S. W., and at 

 noon it extended from S. S. E. to W. by S., distant 

 about six leagues. We continued to steer for it with 

 a light breeze at east, till five in the evening, when 

 we were stopped by a calm. At this time we were 

 three leagues from the land, which extended from 

 S. E. by S. to W. by N. round by the S. W. Some 

 openings appeared in the west, so that we could not 

 tell whether it was one connected land or a group of 

 islands. To the S. E. the coast seemed to terminate 

 in a high promontory, which I named Cape Colnett, 

 after one of my midshipmen, who first discovered this 

 land. Breakers were seen about half-way between 

 us and the shore ; and, behind them, two or three 

 canoes under sail, standing out to sea, as if their 

 design had been to come off to us ; but a little before 

 sun-set they struck their sails, and we saw them 

 no more. After a few hours' calm, we got a breeze 

 at S. E., and spent the night standing off and on. 

 On the £th, at sun-rise, the horizon being clear, we 



