utenant Hicks to the Eastern part of this Island,
and Lieutenant Gore to York Island, with others of the Officers (Mr.
Green having furnished them with Instruments), to observe the Transit of
Venus, that we may have the better Chance of succeeding should the day
prove unfavourable; but in this We were so fortunate that the
observations were everywhere attended with every favourable Circumstance.
It was the 13th of July before I was ready to quitt this Island, after
which I spent near a month in exploring some other Islands which lay to
the Westward, before we steer'd to the Southward. On the 14th of August
we discovered a small Island laying in the Latitude of 22 degrees 27
minutes South, Longitude 150 degrees 47 minutes West. After quitting this
Island I steered to the South, inclining a little to the East, until we
arrived in the Latitude 40 degrees 12 minutes South, without seeing the
least signs of Land. After this I steer'd to the Westward, between the
Latitude of 30 and 40 degrees until the 6th of October, on which day we
discovered the East Coast of New Zeland, which I found to consist of 2
large Islands, extending from 34 to 48 degrees of South Latitude, both of
which I circumnavigated. On the 1st of April, 1770, I quitted New Zeland,
and steer'd to the Westward, until I fell in with the East Coast of New
Holland, in the Latitude of 30 degrees South. I coasted the shore of this
Country to the North, putting in at such places as I saw Convenient,
until we arrived in the Latitude of 15 degrees 45 minutes South, where,
on the night of the 10th of June, we struck upon a Reef of Rocks, were we
lay 23 Hours, and received some very considerable damage. This proved a
fatal stroke to the remainder of the Voyage, as we were obliged to take
shelter in the first Port we met with, were we were detain'd repairing
the damage we had sustain'd until the 4th of August, and after all put to
Sea with a leaky Ship, and afterwards coasted the Shore to the Northward
through the most dangerous Navigation that perhaps ever ship was in,
until the 22nd of same month, when, being in the Latitude of 10 degrees
30 minutes South, we found a Passage into the Indian Sea between the
Northern extremity of New Holland and New Guinea. After getting through
the Passage I stood for the Coast of New Guinea, which we made on the
29th; but as we found it absolutely necessary to heave the Ship down to
Stop her leaks before we proceeded home, I made no stay