This island which I called Nova Britannia, has about 4 degrees of
latitude: the body of it lying in 4 degrees, and the northernmost part in
2 degrees 32 minutes, and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 minutes south.
It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes longitude from east to west. It is
generally high mountainous land, mixed with large valleys, which, as well
as the mountains appeared very fertile; and in most places that we saw,
the trees are very large, tall and thick. It is also very well inhabited
with strong well-limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at
several places. As to the product of it, I know no more than what I have
said in my account of Port Montague; but it is very probable this island
may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world: and the natives
may be easily brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it under
my present circumstances.

Being near the island to the northward of the volcano, I sent my boat to
sound, thinking to anchor here, but she returned and brought me word,
that they had no ground till they met with a reef of coral rocks about a
mile from the shore, then I bore away to the north side of the island,
where we found no anchoring neither. We saw several people, and some
cocoa-nut trees, but could not send ashore for want of my pinnace, which
was out of order. In the evening I stood off to sea, to be at such a
distance that I might not be driven by any current upon the shoals of
this island, if it should prove calm. We had but little wind, especially
the beginning of the night; but in the morning I found myself so far to
the west of the island, that the wind being at east-south-east, I could
not fetch it, wherefore I kept on to the southward, and stemmed with the
body of a high island about eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the
southward of that which I before designed for. I named this island Sir
George Rook's Island.