DAMPIER’s ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND.

493

pafs between them, and kept nearer the main than the ifland. At feven in the eveningI founded, and had fifty-two fathom fine fand and oaze. I flood to the northwardto get clear of this flreight, having but little wind and fair weather. The ifland allnight vomited fire and fmoke very amazingly, and at every belch we heard a dreadfulnoife like thunder, and faw a flame of fire after it, the moft terrifying that ever I faw;the intervals between its belches were about half a minute, fome more, others lefs;neither were thefe pulfes or eruptions alike, for fome were but faint convulfions, incomparifon of the more vigorous; yet even the weakell vented a great deal of fire ;but the largeft made a roaring noife, and fent up a large flame twenty or thirty yardshigh ; and then might be feen a great ftream of fire running down to the foot of theifland, even to the fhore. From the furrows made by this defcending fire, we could,in the day time, fee great fmoaks arife, which probably were made by the fulphureousmatter thrown out of the funnel at the top, which tumbling down to the bottom, andthere lying in a heap, burned till either confumed or extinguifhed ; and as long as itburned and kept its heat, fo long the finoak afcended from it; which we perceived toincreafe or decreafe, according to the quantity of matter difcharged from the funnel:but the next night, being fhot to the weflward of the burning-ifland, and the funnelof it lying on the fout'n-fide, we could not difcern the fire there, as we did the fmoakin the day when we were to the fouthward of it. This volcano lies in the latitude of5° 33' fouth, and meridian diftance from Cape St, George, three hundred and thirty-two miles weft.

The eaftemmoft part of New Guinea lies forty miles to the weftward of this tract ofland ; and by hydrographers they are made joining together; but here I found anopening and paffage between, with many iflands, the Iargeft of which lie on the northfide of this paffage or ftreight. The channel is very good, between the iflands and theland to the eaftward. The eaft part of New Guinea , is high and mountainous, endingon the north-eaft with a large promontory, which I named King William’s Cape, inhonour of His prefent Majefty. We faw fome fmoaks on it, and leaving it on ourlarboard fide, fleered away near the eaft land, which ends with two remarkable capesor heads, diftant from each other about fix or feven leagues: within each head weretwo very remarkable mountains, afcending very gradually from the fea fide ; whichafforded a very pleafant and agreeable profpect. The mountains and lower land werepleafantly mixed with wood-land and favannahs; the trees appeared very green andflourifhing; and the favannahs feerned to be very fmooth and even; no meadow inEngland appears more green in the fpring than thefe. We faw fmoaks, but did notftrive to anchor here, but rather chofe to get under one of the iflands, (where I thoughtI fliould find few or no inhabitants), that I might repair my pinnace, which was focrazy, that I could not venture afhore any where with her. As we flood over to thetfands, we looked out very well to the north, but could fee no land that way; byyhich I was well affined that-we were got through, and that this eaft land does notjoin to New Guinea; therefore I named it Nova Britannia . The north-weft cape, Icalled Cape Glocefler, and the fouth-weft-point Cape Anne; and the north-weftfountain, which is very remarkable, I called Mount Glocefler.

This ifland which I called Nova Britannia , has about 4 0 of latitude: the body of itlying in 4 0 , and the northernmoft part in 2 ° 32', and the fouthernmoft in 6° 30' fouth.k has about 5 0 i8 / longitude from eaft to weft. It is generally high mountainous land,pfixed with large valleys, which, as well as the mountains, appeared very fertile; andjn moft places that we faw, the trees are very large, tall and thick. It is alfo very well^habited with ftrong well-limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at

feveral

/