4 AVOYAGETO 
1777. lail top-fail-yard, which I fent him, fupplied this want. 
—;-, The next day, he got up a jury top-maft, on which he fet 
Friday 1. a. mizen-top-fail 5 and this enabled him to keep way with 
the Refolution. 
The wind was fixed in the Weftern board; that is, from 
the North, round by the Weft to South, and I fteered Eaft 
North Eaft, and North Eaft, without meeting with any 
thing remarkable, till eleven o’clock in the morning of 
Friday s. the 8th of Auguft, when land was feen, bearing North 
North Eaft, nine or ten leagues diftant. At firft, it ap¬ 
peared in detached hills, like fo many feparate illands; 
but, as we drew nearer, we found, that they were all con¬ 
nected, and belonged to one and the fame ifiand. I fteered 
dire&ly for it, with a fine gale at South Eaft by South; 
and, at half paft fix o’clock, in the afternoon, it extended 
from North by Eaft, to North North Eaft i Eaft, diftant 
three or four leagues. 
The night was fpent ftanding off and on ; and, at day- 
Saturday 9. break, the next morning, I fteered for the North Weft, or 
lee fide, of the ifiand ; and, as we ftood round its South or 
South Weft part, we faw it every where guarded by a reef 
of coral rock, extending, in fome places, a full mile from 
the land, and a high furf breaking upon it. Some thought 
that they faw land to the Southward of this ifiand ; but, as 
that was to the windward, it was left undetermined. As 
we drew near, we faw people on feveral parts of the coaft, 
walking, or running along fiiore ; and, in a little time, 
after we had reached the lee-fide of the ifiand, we faw 
them launch two canoes, into which above a dozen men 
got, and paddled toward us. 
I now fhortened fail, as well to give thefe canoes time to 
come up with us, as to found for anchorage. At the diftance 
of 
