168 rR03I CONCEPTION BAY 



several boats were upset, induced them, at last, 

 to leave us ; but they rowed after us for a long 

 time, and, by all manner of signs, gave us to 

 understand that they wished for our return. The 

 numerous population of this small group of islands, 

 the bold spirit of the savages, and their numerous 

 arms, indicated that there must be islands in their 

 neighbourhood with which they had intercourse, 

 and, perhaps, carried on war. 

 We found the latitude in the 



middle of this group '- - 9° 1' 35'' S. 

 The mean between the chrono- 

 meter and the observed lon- 

 gitude, which nearly agreed 157 34 32 W. 

 Variation of the magnetic needle 8 28 00 E. 



On leaving the Penrhyn islands, I attempted 

 to cross the equator, in longitude 180°, a way that 

 was never taken by any navigator, and where new 

 discoveries might be presumed; but this plan I was 

 obliged to give up in the sequel, as the frequent 

 calms delayed my voyage too long, and the intense 

 heat had a very bad effect on our health. 



May the 4th : latitude 7° 31' 39'' S., longi- 

 tude 162° 7' 19". We had such a heavy rain to- 

 day, that we were able to catch twelve butts of 

 water, a piece of good fortune, which, considering 

 our small stock, and the dreadful heat, was to us 

 invaluable, and made this rainy-day a festival. 

 For these two last days, we had squalls from all 



