THE PACIFIC OCEAN.. 75 



srallant yards. The weather, hov/ever, continued fair ; and _ '776- 



o J ' ' ' _ December. 



the wind difpcrfmg the fog that had fettled on the hills, it 

 was tolerably clear alfo. The moment, therefore, we had 

 anchored, I hoiifed out two boats ; in one of which I fent 

 Mr. Bligh, the Mafter, to furvey the upper-part of the har- 

 bour, and look for v/ood ; for not a flirub was to be feen 

 from the fliip. I alfo defired Captain Gierke to fend his 

 Mailer to found the channel that is on the South fide of the 

 fmall ifles, between them and a pretty large ifland which 

 lies near the South point of the harbour. Having given 

 thefe directions, I went myfelf, in my other boat, accompa- 

 nied by Mr. Gore, my firft Lieutenant, and Mr. Baily, and 

 landed on the North point, to fee what 1 could difcover from 

 thence. 



From the higheft hill over the point, we had a pretty good 

 view of the fea-coaft, as far as Howe's Foreland.' It is 

 much indented, and feveral rocky points feemed to flioot 

 out from it, with coves and inlets of unequal extent. One 

 of the latter, the end of which I could , not fee, was dif- 

 joined from that in which the fhips were at anchor, by the 

 point we then flood upon. A great many fmall illands, 

 rocks, and breakers appeared fcattered along the coaft, as 

 well to the Southward as Northward ; and I faw no better 

 channel to get out of the harbour, than by the one through 

 which we had entered it. 



While Mr. Baily and I were making the obfervations, Mr. 

 Gore encompafTed tlie hill ; and joined us by a different 

 route, at the place where I had ordered the boat to wait for 

 us. Except the craggy precipices, we met with nothing to 

 obilru6l our walk. For the country was, if pofTiblc, more 

 barren and defolate than about ChriRiuas Harbour. And 



L 2 yet, 



