James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 079

Remarkable Occurrences &tc on the South Sea's

Middle forming these a large lake into which there appeared to be no inlet, the border of land & Reef, surrounding this lake like a wall appeared to be of a Bow like figure for which reason I named it
[note left margin ]- Bow Island-
Bow Island, the South side along which we Saild was one continued low narrow Beach or Reef like a Causeway for 4 Leagues & upward & lies EbN & WbS. The East & West Ends & North side of this Island are wooded in Groves & the firm land appeared disjoin'd & like a Number of Islands & very probably is so. The NW.t parts of the Island we only saw across the Lake & not very distinct on account of its great extent & night coming on before we had seen the whole length of the Island, this discription[sic] must be imperfect & the whole Island may form a Differant[sic] figure to what I have here described the E.t end lies in the Latitude of 18.23 Sº. & Long.de 141.12W.t from Greenwich. Variation 5.38 E.t This Island is Inhabited, we not only saw smock[sic] in differ.t Parts but People also:- At Noon saw Land to the Westward

Fresh Gales & Cloudy at ½ Past 2 PM get up with the East end of the Land seen yesterday at Noon & which proved to be an assembly of Island join'd together by Reefs, & extending themselves NWbN & SEbS in 8 or 9 Leagues of various breadths, but these appeared to be a total Seperation[sic].
[note left margin ] - Two Groups.- in the middle by a Channell of half a Mile broad & on this account they are called the two Groups, The Sº. Easternmost of them lies in the Latitude 18º.12'. & Long.de of 142º.42'W.t from Greenwich & W½N distant 25 Leagues from the W.t end of Bow Island. We ranged along the SW.t side of this Island & hauld into a Bay which lies to the NW.t of the southernmost Point of them & where these appeared to be Anchorage & the Sea was smooth & not much Surf on the Shore but we found no ground with 100 fa.om ¾ of a mile from the Shore & 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 ½ an hour & they not attempting to come off, we bore away & made Sail & presently 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 & Armed with Clubs & long Pikes like them
At ½ past 6 PM Saw a small Island to the Northw.d hauld our wind for it & soon got close in with it. it is about 3 or 4 Miles in circuit & very low with a Pond in the Middle there is some wood upon it but no inhabitants, but Birds, & for this reason is called
[note left margin]-Bird Island -
Bird Island. it lies in the Lat.de 17º.48'. & Long.de 143º.35' W.t & W½N 10 Leagues from the West end of the two Groups; the Birds we saw about  were Men of War Birds & sev.l other sorts

Fresh Trade & Pleasant wea.r but about noon had a few flying showers of rain, & Variat.n 6º.32' East

A steady fresh gale & pleasant wea.r at 2 PM saw Land to the Northw.d hauld up for it & found it to be a double range of low woody Islands join'd together by reefs,  by w.ch means they make one Island in form of an Ellipsis or Oval, in the Middle  section is a Salt water lake the small Islands & reefs 
[note left margin] - Chain Island-
circumscribes or bounds this lake like a Chain It is therefore called Chain Island it is in length NW & SE.t about 5 Leagues & in  breadth about 5 M.s the middle of it lies in the Latitude of 17º.23' Sº. & Long.de 145º.54' W.t & WbN 45 Leag.s from Bird Island. Variation per Several Az.ths 4º.54' East 
PM