356 APPENDIX. 



correct, but it may perhaps serve till a new complete survey is made 

 of them. 



VIII. New Ireland.— It is astonishing that nearly two centuries 

 have elapsed without the islands situated to the north of New Ireland 

 — first seen by Tasman, and since by Dampier and Bougainville — 

 having been examined, so that we know as little of them as was known 

 one hundred and fifty years ago. There remains, then, to be made a 

 complete survey of all these islands. As to the islands near them, seen 

 by Maurell, it is not likely that they are the same, as some have 

 supposed. This is another reason why they should be all explored with 

 the greatest precision. 



IX. Admiralty Islands. — It is much to be wished that the islands 

 seen by Maurell, to the eastward of the Great Admiralty Island, should 

 be explored, since we know that Maurell's account of his discoveries 

 does not satisfy the hydrographer. 



X. New Britain. — Admiral D'Entrecasteaux has seen and deter- 

 mined, with his usual exactness, the islands situated along the north 

 coast of New Britain ; but he has not been able to lay down the coast 

 itself, which he has seen only at a distance, and some parts not at all. 



XL* Low Islands. — Captain Hagemuster, of the Russian navy, 

 discovered, in the year 1830, an island to the westward of King 

 George's Islands. This island cannot be any other than Schouten's 

 Waterlandt. Captain Wilson sailed between two islands, which he 

 took to be King George's Islands. Most navigators have been of the 

 same opinion ; although there is a difference of longitude of more than 

 a degree between the islands seen by Wilson and King George's 

 Islands. Captain Duperrey, (an excellent authority, as every hydro- 

 grapher will readily admit,) is of a different opinion ; he maintains that 

 the two islands between which Wilson sailed are not King George's 

 Islands, but are situated to the westward of them. He thinks that the 

 island seen by Captain Hagemuster, which I take to be Waterlandt, is 

 one of the two islands ; and that Captain Hagemuster has not seen the 

 other. In order to refute Captain Duperrey's hypothesis, the second 

 island, which, according to him, Captain Hagemuster might not have 

 perceived, ought to be searched for, to the westward of Captain Hage- 

 muster's island ; if it really does exist, it cannot be at a greater distance 

 than about fifteen or twenty miles. 



XII.* Commodore Byron's Isles of Disappointment have not been 

 visited since their first discovery in 1765. I have endeavoured to 

 settle their longitude at 140° 42' W. (page 87 of my supplement) ; but 

 this being only an approximation, they ought to be surveyed — at leas* 

 visited anew. 



