and lies in the direction of S.E. by E. from Cape Saunders, distant seven leagues.  Cape George and Cape Charlotte lie in the direction of S. 37 deg.  E. and N. 37 deg.  W., distant six leagues from each other.  The isle above-mentioned, which was called Cooper’s Isle, after my first lieutenant, lies in the direction of S. by E., distant eight leagues from Cape Charlotte.  The coast between them forms a large bay, to which I gave the name of Sandwich.  The wind being variable all the afternoon we advanced but little; in the night it fixed at S. and S.S.W., and blew a gentle gale, attended with showers of snow.

The 19th was wholly spent in plying, the wind continuing at S. and S.S.W., clear pleasant weather, but cold.  At sunrise a new land was seen, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. It first appeared in a single hill, like a sugar-loaf; some time after other detached pieces appeared above the horizon near the hill.  At noon, observed in the latitude 54 deg. 42’ 30” S., Cape Charlotte bearing N. 38 deg.  W., distant four leagues; and Cooper’s Isle S. 31 deg.  W. In this situation a lurking rock, which lies off Sandwich Bay, five miles from the land, bore W. 1/2 N., distant one mile, and near this rock were several breakers.  In the afternoon we had a prospect of a ridge of mountains behind Sandwich Bay, whose lofty and icy summits were elevated high above the clouds.  The wind continued at S.S.W. till six o’clock, when it fell to a calm.  At this time Cape Charlotte bore N. 31 deg.  W., and Cooper’s Island W.S.W.  In this situation we found the variation, by the azimuths, to be 11 deg. 39’, and by the amplitude, 11 deg. 12’ E. At ten o’clock, a light breeze springing up at north, we steered to the south till twelve, and then brought-to for the night.

At two o’clock in the morning of the 20th we made sail to S.W. round Cooper’s Island.  It is a rock of considerable height, about five miles in circuit, and one mile from the main.  At this isle the main coast takes a S.W. direction for the space of four or five leagues to a point, which I called Cape Disappointment.  Off that are three small isles, the southernmost of which is green, low, and flat, and lies one league from the cape.

As we advanced to S.W. land opened, off this point, in the direction of N. 60 deg.  W., and nine leagues beyond it.  It proved an island quite detached from the main, and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island, after my third officer.  Soon after a point of the main, beyond this island, came in sight, in the direction of N. 55 deg.  W., which exactly united the coast at the very point we had seen, and taken the bearing of, the day we first came in with it, and proved to a demonstration that this land, which we had taken for part of a great continent, was no more than an island of seventy leagues in circuit.