At four o’clock the next morning, we sent off the boats to sound, and visit the island; and as soon as it was light, we ran down and lay over-against the middle of it.  At noon, the boats returned, and reported that they had run within a cable’s length of the island, but could find no ground:  That seeing a reef of rocks lie off it, they had hauled round it, and got into a large, deep bay which was full of rocks:  That they then sounded without the bay, and found anchorage from fourteen to twenty fathom, with a bottom of sand and coral:  That afterwards they went again into the bay, and found a rivulet of good water, but the shore being rocky, went in search of a better landing-place, which they found about half a mile farther, and went ashore.  They reported also, that from the water to this landing-place, a good rolling-way might be made for supplying the ship, but that a strong guard would be necessary, to prevent molestation from the inhabitants.  They saw no hogs, but brought off two fowls and some cocoa-nuts, plantains, and bananas.  While the boats were on shore, two canoes came up to them with six men:  They seemed to be peaceably inclined, and were much the same kind of people as the inhabitants of King George’s Island, but they were clothed in a kind of matting, and the first joint of their little fingers had been taken off; at the same time about fifty more came down from the country, to within about an hundred yards of them, but would advance no farther.  When our people had made what observations they could, they put off, and three of the natives from the canoes came into one of the boats, but when she got about half a mile from the shore, they all suddenly jumped overboard, and swam back again.

Having received this account, I considered that the watering here would be tedious, and attended with great fatigue:  That it was now the depth of winter in the southern hemisphere, that the ship was leaky, that the rudder shook the stern very much, and that what other damage she might have received in her bottom could not be known.  That for these reasons, she was very unfit for the bad weather which she would certainly meet with either in going round Cape Horn, or through the streight of Magellan:  That if she should get safely through the streight, or round the cape, it would be absolutely necessary for her to refresh in some port, but in that case no port would be in her reach; I therefore determined to make the best of my way to Tinian, Batavia, and so to Europe by the Cape of Good Hope.  By this route, as far as we could judge, we should sooner be at home; and if the ship should prove not to be in a condition to make the whole voyage, we should still save our lives, as from this place to Batavia we should probably have a calm sea, and be not far from a port.

In consequence of this resolution, at noon I bore away, and passed Boscawen’s Island without visiting it.  It is a high round island, abounding in wood, and full of people; but Keppel’s Isle is by far the largest and the best of the two.