s time the South part of Anaboa,
which lies in the Latitude of 10 degrees 15 minutes South, bore
North-East, distant 4 Leagues, and the Island of Rotte extending as far
to the Southward as South 36 degrees West. The North End of this Island
and the South end of Timor lies North 1/2 East and 1/2 West, distant
about 3 or 4 Leagues from each other. At the West end of the Passage
between Rotte and Anaboa are two Small Islands; the one lays near the
Rotte shore and the other off the South-West point of Anaboa; there is a
good Channel between the 2 of 5 or 6 Miles broad, which we came thro'.
Being now clear of the Islands we steer'd a West course all night until 6
a.m., when we unexpectedly saw an Island* (* Savu. An island about twenty
miles in length. It is but little visited or known by others than the
Dutch to this day.) bearing West-South-West, for by most of the Maps we
had on board we were to the Southward of all the Islands that lay between
Timor and Java; at least there were none laid down so near Timor in this
Latitude by almost one half, which made me at first think it a new
discovery; but in this I was mistaken. We now steer'd directly for it,
and by 10 o'Clock were close in with the North side, where we saw Houses,
Cocoa Nutt Trees, and a Flock of Cattle grazing; these were Temptations
hardly to be withstood by people in our situation, especially such as
were but in a very indifferent State of Health, and I may say mind too,
for in some this last was worse than the other, since I refused to touch
at the Island of Timor, whereupon I thought I could not do less than to
try to procure some refreshments here, as there appeared to be plenty.*
(* Cook's utter indifference as to what he eat or drank made him regard
privations in the matter of food with an equanimity which was not shared
by the rest of his companions.) With this View we hoisted out the
Pinnace, in which I sent Lieutenant Gore in shore to see if there were
any Convenient place to land, sending some trifles along with him to give
to the Natives in case he saw any. Mr. Gore landed in a small sandy cove
near to some Houses, and was met on the beach by 8 or 10 of the people,
who from both their behaviour and what they had about them shew'd that
they had Commerce with Europeans; upon Mr. Gore's returning with this
report, and likewise that there was No Anchorage for the Ship, I sent him
away with both money and goods to try to purchase some refreshments,
while w