One of the objects of Rogewein, a Dutch navigator, who, sailed from Amsterdam in 1721, was to re-discover Solomon’s Islands, and the lands described by Quitos.  In this voyage he visited New Britain, of which he has enlarged our information; and be discovered Aurora Island, and a very numerous archipelago, to which he gave the name of the Thousand Islands.  Captain Carteret, who sailed from England in 1767, along with Captain Wallis, but who was separated from him in the Straits of Magellan, discovered several isles in the South Pacific, the largest of which there is little doubt is that which was visited by Mandana in 1595, and called by him Santa Cruz.  In prosecuting his voyage in the track pursued by Dampier, Captain Carteret arrived on the east coast of the land named New Britain, by that celebrated navigator.  This he found to consist of two islands, separated by a wide channel; to the northern island he gave the name of New Ireland.

At this period the French were prosecuting voyages of discovery in the same portion of the globe.  An expedition sailed from France in 1766, commanded by M. Bougainville:  he arrived within the limits of Australasia in May, 1768.  Besides visiting a group of islands, named by him Navigators’ Islands, but which are supposed to have been discovered by Rogewein, and a large cluster, which is also supposed to be the archipelago of the same navigator, M. Bougainville discovered a beautiful country, to which he gave the name of Louisiade:  he was not able to examine this country, and as it has not been visited by subsequent navigators, it is generally believed to be an extension of the coast of Papua.  After discovering some islands not far from this land, M. Bougainville directed his course to the coast of New Ireland; he afterwards examined the north coast of New Guinea.

About the same time, M. Surville, another Frenchman, in a voyage from the East Indies into the Pacific, landed on the north coast of a country east of New Guinea; he had not an opportunity of examining this land, but it seems probable that it was one of Solomon’s Islands.

We have already had occasion to notice the first voyage of Captain Cook, during which he traced the eastern coast of New Holland, and ascertained that it was separated from New Guinea.  In this voyage he made further additions to our geographical knowledge of Australasia; for he visited New Zealand, which Tasman had discovered in 1642, but on which he did not even land.  Captain Cook examined it with great care; and ascertained not only its extent, but that it was divided into two large islands, by a strait, which is called after him.  During his second voyage he explored the New Hebrides, the most northern of which is supposed to be described by Quitos:  Bougainville had undoubtedly sailed among them.  The whole lie between the latitude of 14 deg. 29’ and 24 deg. 4’ south, and between 166 deg. 41’ and 170 deg. 21’ east longitude.  After having completed his examination of these islands,