INTRODUCTION. 



iiii 



Its form Is like that of a horfe-ihoc. Its 

 greateft breadth is not above a quarter of a 

 league : yet the land is high enough to in- 

 clofe and fhelter a vaft bafin, capable of 

 containing the largeft fleet. This bafm is 

 about four leagues in lengthy and its mean 

 breadth is about one. It forms an excellent 

 harbour^ and has two entrances on the 

 northern fide. Thefe paflages are exceed- 

 ingly beautiful. The pofition of it, accord- 

 ing to obfervation, I determined to be in 

 7° 1 4' fouth latitude, and 68^ eaft longitude 

 from Paris, 



With regard to the fiioals which abound 

 in this archipelago, they are as yet not all 

 known. They are not to be found in the 

 old charts of M. d'Apres. That hydro- 

 grapher was deficient in that fpirit of en- 

 quiry fo neceffary to bring nautical charts 

 to perfedion ; for he did not derive from 

 the materials he had in his hands all that 



d 3 advan- 



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