cover'd Easter Island.
Dalrymple and some others have laid it down in 27 degrees South and 106
degrees 30 minutes West, and supposes it to be the same as Davis's Isle,
which I think cannot be from the Circumstance of the Voyage; on the other
hand Mr. Pingre, in his Treatise concerning the Transit of Venus, gives
an extract of Roggeween's Voyage and a map of the South Seas, wherein he
places Easter Island in the Latitude of 28 1/2 degrees South, and in the
Longitude of 123 degrees West* (* Easter Island is in longitude 110
degrees West, and is considered identical with Davis' Island.) his reason
for so doing may be seen at large in the said Treatise. He likewise lays
down Roggeween's rout through those South Seas very different from any
other Author I have seen; for after leaving Easter Island he makes him to
steer South-West to the height of 34 degrees South, and afterwards
West-North-West. If Roggeween really took this rout, then it is not
probable that there is any Main land to the Northward of 35 degrees
South. However, Mr. Dalrymple and some Geographers have laid down
Roggeween's track very different from Mr. Pingre. From Easter Isle they
have laid down his Track to the North-West, and afterwards very little
different from that of La Maire; and this I think is not probable, that a
man who, at his own request, was sent to discover the Southern Continent
should take the same rout thro' these Seas as others had done before who
had the same thing in View; by so doing he must be Morally certain of not
finding what he was in search of, and of course must fail as they had
done. Be this as it may, it is a point that cannot be clear'd up from the
published accounts of the Voyage, which, so far from taking proper notice
of their Longitude, have not even mentioned the Latitude of several of
the Islands they discover'd, so that I find it impossible to lay down
Roggeween's rout with the least degree of accuracy.* (* Roggeween's track
is still unknown.)

But to return to our own Voyage, which must be allowed to have set aside
the most, if not all, the Arguments and proofs that have been advanced by
different Authors to prove that there must be a Southern Continent; I
mean to the Northward of 40 degrees South, for what may lie to the
Southward of that Latitude I know not. Certain it is that we saw no
Visible signs of Land, according to my Opinion, neither in our rout to
the Northward, Southward, or Westward, until a few days before