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Feb.] NEW-HEBRIDES— HOPE ISLAND. 375 



longitude 165° ; then to shape our course for the Philippine Islands. 

 We continued in this northerly course, with variable winds, and 

 occasional foul weather, until Monday, the 1st of February, when we 

 took the south-east trade-winds, in latitude 20° 30' SL, long. 170° 52' E. 



February 2d. — On the following day, at six, P. M., we passed the 

 island of Erronan, which lies in latitude 19° 28' S., long. 170° 24' E. 

 This island is one of the New-Hebrides, of which group we have not 

 sufficient knowledge to give any particular description. Most readers 

 are aware that this cluster of islands was discovered by Quiros, in 

 1606, who thought them to be part of a great southern continent, to 

 which he gave the name of Australia del Espiritu Santo. They 

 were next visited by Bouganville, in 1768, who did no more than dis- 

 cover that the land was not connected, but composed of islands, to 

 which he gave the elegant name of the Great Cyclades. After an- 

 other interval of seven years, the celebrated Captain Cook completed 

 the discovery, who gave the whole cluster the name of the New- 

 Hebrides, after a group which lies on the west coast of Scotland. 



February 4.th. — We continued on our passage to the north, until 

 Thursday, the 4th of February, when, being in latitude 14° 30' S., 

 long. 170° 0' E., we took the winds from north-west, to north-north- 

 east, which continued to blow from these quarters for about a fortnight. 

 In the mean time we crossed the equator in longitude 166° 30' ; and 

 on Thursday, the 18th, in latitude 4° 20' N., long. 167° 20 7 E., we 

 took the north-east trade-winds from east-north-east. On the same 

 day we saw several indications of land.* 



February \9th. — On the 19th we passed close in with Hope Island, 

 which is in latitude 5° 17' N., long. 164° 47' E. It is moderately ele- 

 vated in the centre, and descends into beautiful plains and fertile val- 

 leys towards the shore, which are literally covered with cocoanut- 

 trees, plantains, and bananas. We now changed our course to west- 

 north-west and west-by-north, seeing drift-wood and land-birds every 

 day ; these were sure indications of our being near land, and bright- 

 ened my anticipations of making some new discoveries. 



* Our situation at this date was about eighty miles from a group of islands which has since been 

 discovered by Captain Hiram Covel of the barque Alliance, of Newport, R. I. ; who states that on 

 the 7th May, 1831, in latitude 4° 30' N., long. 168° 40' E., he discovered a group of fourteen islands 

 not laid down on any chart. They were all inhabited, and the natives spoke the Spanish language. 

 He called them the Covel Group. 



