FRIENDLY ISLANDS AND NEW HEBRIDES 167 



anxious to avoid bloodshed, he abandoned the 

 idea. 



After having taken in w^ood and v^ater, Cook 

 left Tanna on August 20th, departing from this 

 fairy island of heavy scents, warm springs and 

 supernatural growth. He employed the rest of 

 the month in exploring the islands in the vicinity 

 and visited in detail the archipelago, which 

 Quiros had thought to be a continent. Cook 

 changed the name which Bougainville had given 

 it, and explained the reason for this in his Jour- 

 nal. "They were next visited by M. de Bou- 

 gainville in 1768; who, besides landing on the 

 Isle of Lepers, did no more than discover that 

 the land was not connected, but composed of 

 islands, which he called the Great Cyclades. 

 But, as, besides ascertaining the extent and situa- 

 tion of these islands, we added to them several 

 new ones which were not known before, and 

 explored the whole, I think we have obtained 

 a right to name them; and shall in future dis- 

 tinguish them by the name of the New Heb- 

 rides." 



