degrees 19 minutes South, longitude 142 degrees 29 minutes West.

Friday, 7th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy. At 1/2 past 2 p.m. got up with the
East end of the Land seen yesterday at Noon, and which proved to be an
assemblage of Islands join'd together by Reef, and extending themselves
North-West by North and South-East by South in 8 or 9 Leagues and of
various breadths; but there appeared to be a total Seperation in the
middle by a Channell of half a Mile broad, and on this account they are
called the two Groups.* (* Marokau and Ravahare. Two atolls close
together.) The South Eastermost of them lies in the Latitude of 18
degrees 12 minutes and Longitude of 142 degrees 42 minutes West from
Greenwich, and West 1/2 North distant 25 Leagues from the West end of Bow
Island. We ranged along the South-West side of this Island, and hauled
into a Bay which lies to the North-West of the Southermost point of them,
and where there appeared to be Anchorage and the Sea was smooth and not
much Surf on the Shore; but we found no ground with 100 fathoms 3/4 of a
Mile from the Shore, and nearer we did not go. Here several of the
Inhabitants assembled together with their Canoes, with a design, as we
thought, to come off to us, as they hauld one of them over the reef
seemingly for that purpose; but after waiting near 1/2 an hour, and they
not attempting to come, we bore away and made Sail, and presentley the
Canoe put off after us; but, as we did not stop, they soon went back
again. They were in all respects like those we had seen on Lagoon Island,
and Armed with Clubs and long Pikes like them. At 1/2 past 6 a.m. Saw a
small Island to the Northward, hauled our wind for it, and soon got close
in with it. It is about 3 or 4 Miles in Circuit, and very low, with a
Pond in the Middle. There is some wood upon it, but no inhabitants but
Birds, and for this reason is called Bird Island.* (* Reitoru.) It lies
in the latitude 17 degrees 48 minutes and longitude 143 degrees 35
minutes West, and West 1/2 North 10 Leagues from the West end of the two