As Lieutenant Shortland made the land on the opposite side of this island in latitude 10 deg. 44’ south, longitude 161 deg. 30’ east, and the Supply being this day in latitude 9 deg. 00’ south, longitude 161 deg. 41’ east; there remains a space between the situation of the two vessels, which, reduced to bearings and distances from these latitudes and longitudes, will give south 6 deg. east; distance 104 miles:  now, the Supply was ten leagues off shore, and, admitting the Alexander (Lieutenant Shortland’s ship,) to have been four leagues, it will make the breadth of the island 62 miles, and its length and bearings will be south 57 deg. east, and north 57 deg. west, 436 miles.

The eastern extremity of this land is an island about 18 miles in circuit, lying at a small distance from the main island:  I have before observed that it was named Sirius-Island, between which, and the Queen Charlotte’s Islands, there cannot be many leagues, supposing Captain Carteret’s longitude to have been right.

The north-east coast of this island Lieutenant Ball named “-Ball’s Maiden Land_;” and the passage between Sirius and Queen Charlotte’s Islands, “-Supply’s Passage_.”

At day-light in the morning of the 9th, land was seen, bearing from south to west, eleven leagues distant; it was very high, and there appeared to be a number of openings in it.  Our latitude at noon on the 10th, was 7 deg. 16’ south, and the longitude 162 deg. 23’ east.  We now daily found the vessel set considerably to the northward and westward, and on the 16th she was set 48 miles west-north-west during the 24 hours.

A different kind of sea-fowl was seen about the vessel to any we had hitherto met with; it was of the ganet kind; the back, wings, and head being a glossy black, and the breast entirely white.

At ten o’clock in the morning of the 19th, we saw an island bearing west by north six or seven leagues distant:  the latitude at noon, was 1 deg. 44’ south, and the longitude 150 deg. 39’ east.  With a fine breeze at east-south-east, we steered for the island, as it lay directly in our course, and soon perceived that it was inhabited, as we saw a number of people standing on the south point, and a great many canoes were coming off to meet us; but as the vessel approached them they paddled towards the shore; yet they seemed desirous to have some communication with us, and the vessel being hove to, in a short time they came near us, but no invitation or intreaty could prevail on them to come along-side.

At length, two of the canoes, which had seven men in each, and two others, with two men each, came close under the stern, but none of them would venture on board, and it was with great difficulty they were persuaded to come near enough to receive a string of beads which were let down over the stern; after this, they all paddled on shore.