Bougainville directed his course to the coast of New
Ireland; he afterwards examined the north coast of New Guinea.
About the same time, M. Surville, another Frenchman, in a voyage from the
East Indies into the Pacific, landed on the north coast of a country east
of New Guinea; he had not an opportunity of examining this land, but it
seems probable that it was one of Solomon's Islands.
We have already had occasion to notice the first voyage of Captain Cook,
during which he traced the eastern coast of New Holland, and ascertained
that it was separated from New Guinea. In this voyage he made further
additions to our geographical knowledge of Australasia; for he visited New
Zealand, which Tasman had discovered in 1642, but on which he did not even
land. Captain Cook examined it with great care; and ascertained not only
its extent, but that it was divided into two large islands, by a strait,
which is called after him. During his second voyage he explored the New
Hebrides, the most northern of which is supposed to be described by Quitos:
Bougainville had undoubtedly sailed among them. The whole lie between the
latitude of 14 deg. 29' and 24 deg. 4' south, and between 166 deg. 41' and 170 deg. 21'
east longitude. After having completed his examination of these islands, he
discovered an extensive country, which he called New Caledonia.
Pages:
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807