232 PAPC7AS LAND. 



Prince of ^ We iTiuft therefore fleer along another dotted line till we 



IsLis!' * arrive at Prince of Wales's illands, Lat. lo' ^^ fouth, Long. 142** 



eaft. I'he largeft is long and narro\v', and lies parallel with the 



coaft. This j^art of the fea between New Guinea and Nezv Hol- 



ToRREs's /i^-;?^ is called ^orr^j's ftreights, for having been palTed in 1606 



Streights. ^^ j^^^ ^^^^ ^^ Torres, admiral under Fernandez ^iros ; corre- 



fpondent to them, beyond another fet of illands, named alfo the 



Prince of Wales's, is the Endeavour ftreight, paiTed, as I have 



before mentioned, by our boafted Cook. 



In proceeding along the coafts, I find names of places, but 

 nothing more. Captain Cook, on his quitting the coaft of New 

 Holland, crolTed the intervening water, and touched in Lat. 6° 15' 

 at a place on this fide of New Guinea^ to which he has neither 

 left a name, nor yet even the m.ark of landing in his chart. We 

 are told that it lay fixty-five leagues to the north-eafl of Waelche 

 cape. The country was low, but covered with fuch a luxuriancy 

 of wood and herbage as fcarcely can be conceived ; and among 

 them fuch numbers of aromatic trees, as perfumed the air even 

 at a diflance from fliore. The natii'es were hoftile, went quite 

 naked, and had much the appearance of the Netv Hollanderi. 

 They fhouted defiance, and from a Ihort flick or hollow cane 

 Fire-arms, they fwung in their hands, was emitted fiafhes of fire, exadlly 

 like the efFedl of gunpowder ; thefe explofions were innocent, 

 nor could our navigators ever learn the caufe. After each explo- 

 fion, which was done by a fingle man, his companions flnng their 

 bearded darts. All that we learn farther of this country is, that 

 it produced fine cocoa-nuts, plantanes, and bread fruit. 



Cape 



