I90 A VOYAGE TO 
^xVm^' ^^^^ north-north-weft, and was about fix or feven 
^"■^—^ leagues in length, the land very high, with a remark- 
able peak, which bore fouth-fouth-weft. This ifland 
was now named Sir Charles Middletofi' s IJlmid : It lies in 
latitude 28°. 10. fouth, and in longitude 159°. 50'. eaft. 
Lieutenant Shortland thinks it probable that the reef feen 
on the preceding day may be conne6i:ed with this ifland, 
as it trended in a right diredion for it ; but it muft, in 
that cafe, be of very great extent. The ifland was ftill 
in Ught on the morning of the 2 2d. 
?£4th jiii7, -On Thurfday July 24th, they had an accurate 
obfervation of the fun and moon to determine the 
longitude, and found the efFe6l of a current to have 
been fo great as to fet the fliip tv/o degrees of longitude 
to the eaftward of the dead reckoning. The longitude 
of Sir Charles Middleton's Ifland muft therefore be cor- 
rected by that obfervation, and placed conftderably fur- 
:ther to the eaft. The latitude may ])e depended upon, 
as the bearing v/as obferved when the fun was on the 
. ; ■ meridian. /- v ; : i ^ V ■ 
;,28th juiy. Many land birds being feen on the 27th and 28th, 
when the ftiip v/as by reckoning and obfervation near 
the north- weft end of New Caledonia, Lieutenant Sliort- 
land very reafonably concluded that he muft have pafted 
very 
