Henderson Island was rediscovered on seventeen January 1819 by British Captain James Henderson of the British East India Company ship Hercules. The islands closest to the Pitcairn Islands are Mangareva (of French Polynesia) to the west and Easter Island to the east. Pitcairn Island was sighted on three July 1767 by the crew of the British sloop HMS Swallow, commanded by Captain Philip Carteret.