On the 6th, being the day after leaving Ulietea, at eleven o'clock a.m., we
saw land bearing N.W., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to be a low
reef island about four leagues in compass, and of a circular form. It is
composed of several small patches connected together by breakers, the
largest lying on the N.E. part. This is Howe Island, discovered by Captain
Wallis, who, I think, sent his boat to examine it; and, if I have not been
misinformed, found a channel through, within the reef, near the N.W. part.
The inhabitants of Ulietea speak of an uninhabited island about this
situation, called by them Mopeha, to which they go at certain seasons for
turtle. Perhaps, this may be the same; as we saw no signs of inhabitants
upon it. Its latitude is 16° 46' S. longitude 154° 8' W.

From this day to the 16th, we met nothing remarkable, and our course was
west southerly; the winds variable from north round by the east to S.W.,
attended with cloudy, rainy, unsettled weather, and a southerly swell. We
generally brought-to, or stood upon a wind during night; and in the day
made all the sail we could. About half an hour after sun-rise this morning,
land was seen from the top-mast head, bearing N.N.E. We immediately altered
the course, and steering for it, found it to be another reef island,
composed of five or six woody islets, connected together by sand-banks and
breakers inclosing a lake, into which we could see no entrance. We ranged
the west and N.W. coasts, from its southern to its northern-extremity,
which is about two leagues, and so near the shore, that at one time we
could see the rocks under us; yet we found no anchorage, nor saw we any
signs of inhabitants. There were plenty of various kinds of birds, and the
coast seemed to abound with fish. The situation of this isle is not very
distant from that assigned by Mr Dalrymple for La Sagitaria, discovered by
Quiros; but, by the description the discoverer has given of it, it cannot
be the same. For this reason, I looked upon it as a new discovery, and