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. 240
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Islands in the So Seas
as the Navigator would know where to go to look for it, but if after all no Continent was to be found then he might turn his thoughts toward the discovery of those Multitude of Island which we are told lay within the Tropical regions to the South of the Sine & this we have from very good Authority as I have before hinted. This he will always have in his power, for unless he be directed to search for the Southern Lands in a high Latitude he will not, as we were be obliged to go further to the Westward in the Latitude of 40º. Lon 140º or 145ºW. & therefore will always have it in his power to go to Georges Island where he will be sure of meeting with refreshments to resuct his people before he sets out upon the discovery of the Islands, but should it be thought proper to send a Ship out upon this Service while Tupia lives & he to come out in her in that case she would have a prodigious advantage over everything that hath been upon discoveries in those Seas before, for by means of Tupia supposing he did not accompany you himself you would always get people to direct you from Island to Island & be sure of meeting with a friendly reception & refreshment at every Island you come to. this would enable the Navigator to make his discoveries the more perfect & compleat as least it would give him time so to do, for he would not be obliged to hurry through those Seas thro' any apprehentions of wanting provisions - I shall now add a list of those Islands which Tupia & Several others have given us an acco.t of & Endeavour to point out the respective situation from Otaheite or Georges Island but this with respect to many of them cannot be depended upon. Those marked thus (≠) Tupia himself has been a lot he tells us & we have reason to doubt his Veracity in this, by which it will appear that his Geographical knowlege of those Seas is pretty extensive & yet I must burve[?] that before he came with us he hardly had an idea of any land being larger than Otaheite
Names of the Island Bearing from
NE.n Quarter Otaheite
Oopato
Oiane
Teoheow Between the N&NNE
Oryroa
Ohevapato
Otaoh
Ohevaroa NNE to NE & N
Temanno
Ootta
Whareva
Whatereero
Tehoo NE.n
Tetineohera
Terourohah
Whaoa
Whaterretuah NNEn
Whaneanea
Oheratoutuae ECN