AuG. 1770 EAGLE ISLAND—COOK’S PASSAGE 293 
were built upon the tops of eminences, exposed entirely to 
the 8.E., contrary to those of the main, which are commonly 
placed under some bushes or hillside to break the wind. 
The officer who went in the boat returned with an account 
that the sea broke vastly high upon the reef, and that the 
swell was so great in the opening that he could not go into 
it to sound; this was sufficient to assure us of a safe passage 
out; so we got into the boat to return to the ship in high 
spirits, thinking our dangers now at an end, as we had a 
passage open for us to the main sea. On our return we 
went ashore on a low island,’ where we shot many birds: 
on it was the nest of an eagle, the young ones of which we 
killed ; and another I knew not of what bird, built on the 
ground, of a most enormous magnitude: it was in circum- 
ference 26 feet, and in height 2 feet 8 inches, built of sticks. 
The only bird I have seen in this country capable of build- 
ing such a nest seems to be the pelican. The Indians had 
been here likewise and lived upon turtle, as we could plainly 
see by the heaps of callipashes [carapaces] piled up in many 
parts of the island. Our master, who had been sent to leeward 
to examine that passage, went ashore upon a low island, where 
he slept; such great plenty of turtle had the Indians had 
when there, that they had hung up the fins with the meat 
left on them on trees, where the sun had dried them so well 
that our seamen eat them heartily. He saw also two spots 
clear of grass, which had lately been dug up; they were 
about seven feet long and shaped like a grave, for which 
indeed he took them. 
13th. Ship stood out for the opening® we had seen in 
the reef, and about two o'clock passed through it; it was 
about half a mile wide. As soon as the ship was well within 
it, we had no ground with 100 fathoms of line, so became in 
an instant quite easy, being once more in the main ocean, 
and subsequently freed from all fears of shoals, etc. 
14th. For the first time these three months we were this 
1 Eagle Island. 
2 No doubt the nest of the Jungle bird, a species of Megapodium. 
3 Cook’s passage. 
