Scope and Contents The August entries begin with increased sightings of tropical birds, dolphins and flying fish as the ship approached Tahiti. Bayly notes that the crew caught a shark five foot long and later, a large albatross. On 11 August he records that they had discovered land, which he initially describes as ‘3 small sandy islands with a few trees on the most elevated parts’; the following day he states that it proved to be a long low sandy island [RGO 14/56: 80v-81r]. On 14 August they sighted three...

Scope and Contents Daily log entries are provided from 1-16 August, followed by summarised entries. On 12 August they passed a reef and small island which they named ‘The Devil’s Girdle’ (map is enclosed). On 14-15 they sighted the island of Maitea [Mehetia], and on 15 August, Wales describes the arrival of local inhabitants in canoes filled with coconuts and fruit which they got in exchange for glass beads [RGO 14/58: 57v]. The following day he records that the ship struck a reef and was eventually moved to...