Monday 28. October. Monday 5. Monday 12. Current liland. On the 28th, being in latitude 2° 53′ N., longitude 136° 10 ́ E. we fell in with a very dangerous fhoal, which is about eleven or twelve miles in circuit, and furrounded with small stones that juft fhew themselves above water. We found here a ftrong northerly current, but could not determine whether it inclined to the eaft or weft. In the evening, we discovered from the mast-head another ifland to the fouthward of us: the east end of it seemed to rise in a peak, and had the appearance of a sail, but we did not go near enough to see any thing of it from the deck. I suppose its latitude to be about 2° 50 ́ N., and its longitude, east of London, about 136° 10′E. We continued to have a current to the northward, till Monday the 5th of October, when, being in latitude 4° 30' N. I found it foutherly, and very ftrong. I had, among other deficiencies and misfortunes, no fmall boat on board, fo that I could not try these currents, which I had a great desire to do; but I am of opinion, that when the current set fouthward it inclined to the east, and that when it set northward it inclined to the weft. On Monday the 12th, we difcovered a small island with trees upon it, though fcarcely bigger than a rock, and I called it CURRENT ISLAND. It lies in latitude 4° 40′ N., longitude 14° 24′ W. of Queen Charlotte's Foreland. The next day, we difcovered two other fmall islands, which I called 1767. October. Saint An Monday 12. Ilands. I called SAINT ANDREW'S ISLANDS: they lie in latitude CHA P. VIII. Some Account of the Coast of Mindanao, and the lands N the 26th, we discovered land again, but not being able Monday 26. to make an observation, we could ascertain our latitude On the 26th, vot difcorored ved but not being able and longitude only by our dead reckoning; the next day, how- Tuesday 27. 8 ་ 1767. October. Tuesday 27. freshments, I determined to try what could be procured in a bay which Dampier has defcribed as lying on the fouth caft part of the island, and which, he fays, furnished him with great plenty of deer from a favannah. I therefore coafted that fide of the island, and that I might be fure not to miss the bay, I fent out the Lieutenant with the boat and a proper number of hands, to keep in fhore a-head of the hip. No fuch bay however was to be found, but at the very fouthermoft extremity of the island they opened a little nook at the bottom of which was a town, and a fort. As soon as our boat was discovered by the people on fhore, they fired a great gun, and fent off three boats or canoes full of people. As the Lieutenant had not a sufficient force to oppose them, he immediately made towards the fhip, and the canoes chaced him till they came within fight of her, and being then over-matched in their turn, they thought fit to go back. Being thus difappointed in my search of Dampier's Bay and Savannah, I would have anchored off this town, notwithstanding these hoftile appearances, if it had not been neceffary first to get up fome guns from the hold, and make a few neceffary repairs in the rigging; this however being November. the cafe, I ran a little to the eastward, where, on the 2d of Monday 2. November, I came to an anchor in a little bay, having a bottom of foft mud, and feven fathom of water, at the diftance of a cable's length from the fhore; the westermoft point of the bay bore W. S. W. diftant about three miles; the caftermoft point E. by S. diftant about one mile; a river, which empties itself into the bay, about N. W. and the peak of an island, called Hummock Island, S. 7° E. diftant about five leagues. Before it was dark the fame day, our two boats went to the river, and brought off their loads of water: they faw no figns of inhabitants where they were on fhore, but we obferved a canoe come round the weftermoft point of the bay, bay, which we fuppofed had been dispatched from the town, to learn what we were, or at leaft to fee what we were doing. As foon as I difcovered this canoe, I hoisted English colours, and was not without hope that she would come on board, but after viewing us fome time, fhe returned. As we had seen no inhabitants, nor any figns of inhabitants, where we got our water, I intended to procure a further supply the next day from the fame place, and endeavour alfo to recruit our wood; but about nine o'clock at night, we were fuddenly surprised by a loud noise on that part of the shore which was a-breast of the ship: it was made by a great number of human voices, and very much resembled the war-whoop of the American Savages, a hideous shout which they give at the moment of their attack, and in which all who have heard it agree there is fomething inexpreffibly terrifying and horrid. 1767. November. Monday z. As I was now farther convinced that it was necessary to dispose of our little force to the greatest advantage, we began the next day by getting the guns up from the hold, and Tuesday 3. making the neceffary repairs to our rigging. At eleven o'clock, not having feen any thing of the people, who had endeavoured to terrify us by their yells in the night, I sent the long-boat on fhore for more water; but, as I thought it probable that they might have concealed themfelves in the woods, I kept the cutter manned and armed, with the Lieutenant on board, that immediate fuccour might be sent to the waterers, if any danger fhould threaten them. It foon appeared that my conjectures were well founded, for our people had no sooner left their boat, than a number of armed men rushed out of the woods, one of whom held up fomewhat white, which I took to be a signal of peace. Upon this occafion I was again fenfible of the mortifying deficiency in the fhip's equipment, which I had so often experiVOL. I. 3 E enced 1767. November. Tuesday 3. enced before. I had no white flag on board, and therefore, as the best expedient in my power, I ordered the Lieutenant, whom I fent on fhore in the cutter, to display one of my table-cloths: as foon as the officer landed, the ftandardbearer and another came down to him unarmed, and received him with great appearance of friendship. One of them addressed him in Dutch, which none of our people underflood; he then spoke a few words in Spanish, in which one of the perfons of the cutter was a confiderable proficient: the Indian however spoke it so very imperfectly, that it was with great difficulty, and by the help of many figns, he made himself understood; poffibly if any of our people had spoken Dutch, he might have been found equally deficient in that language. He asked for the Captain however by the name of the fkipper, and enquired whether we were Hollanders; whether our fhip was intended for merchandize or for war; how many guns and men fhe carried; and whether she had been, or was going to Batavia. When we had fatisfied him in all these particulars, he said that we should go to the town, and that he would introduce us to the Governor, whom he diftinguished by the title of Raja. The Lieutenant then told him, that we intended to go to the town, but that we were in immediate want of water, and therefore defired permiffion to fill some casks; he also requested that the people who were armed with bows and arrows might be ordered to a greater distance, With both these requifitions the Indian, who seemed to be invefted with confiderable authority, complied; and as he feemed to take particular notice of a filk handkerchief which the Lieutenant had tied round his neck, it was immediately prefented to him; in return for which he defired him to accept a kind of cravat, made of coarfe callico, which was tied round his own, his dress being somewhat after |