30 May 1788-13 June 1788

On the 30th, in 17 deg. 13’ south latitude, and 172 deg. 43’ east longitude, they passed several large trees, and a number of cocoa-nuts floating in the water, but no land was to be seen.  Nothing occurred worthy of note till the 4th of June, when the water appearing coloured, they sounded and struck the ground in fifteen fathoms water, although no land was to be seen:  a man was then sent to the mast-head, who could plainly discern that the shoal run to the westward, on which Captain Marshall altered his course and stretched to the eastward, carrying soundings from fifteen to thirty fathoms water, over a rocky bottom, and in many places they could see the ground very distinctly.  After running to the eastward, about eight miles, they found no bottom with seventy fathoms of line, which occasioned the Captain to tack and stand to the southward.  Vast numbers of birds of different kinds were flying to the westward of the shoal, so that there probably is an island near that situation.  The east part of this shoal is situated in 173 deg. 12’ east longitude, and the south part of it in 15 deg. 50’ south latitude, but how far it extends to the westward and northward is very uncertain, though doubtless to a considerable distance, as the water had a white appearance from the mast head as far as the eye could reach.  Being now entirely free from the shoal, they stood to the northward, with a light easterly breeze, and moderate weather.  On the 9th, in 7 deg. 59’ south latitude, the wind shifted to the westward and continued in the western board till the 13th when it again changed to the eastward.

18 June 1788

At six o’clock in the morning of the 18th they saw an island right a-head, bearing north half west eight or nine miles distant:  they sounded when about six miles from the land, but got no bottom with sixty fathoms of line; at this time Captain Marshall perceived several canoes with their sails set, and two or three men in each canoe, coming towards the ship, but they presently put back again and made for the shore.  This island is very low and level, and extends north-east, and south-west, terminating at each end in a low, flat point, with an appearance of a large bay in the middle; the Captain named it Hopper’s Island; it is situated in 00 deg. 03’ south latitude, and 173 deg. 43’ longitude east from Greenwich.

At seven o’clock they saw another island smaller than the former, lying about six miles to the south-west of Hopper’s Island, and nearly the same in appearance; this was named Henderville’s Island.  Towards noon, another island made its appearance, which Captain Marshall named Woodle’s Island, situated three miles to the north-west of Henderville’s Island.  Five large canoes with sails set put off from Woodle’s Island, and came towards the ship, but when about four miles distant, they turned back and stood for the shore.  The wind blowing off the land prevented them from getting in with the shore, so as to enable