124 VOYAGE TO THE 



whom we had received the greatest attention, and put 



to sea on our way to Macao. 

 M^ch, Upon leaving the Sandwich Ishinds I directed the 



1827. course to the southward ; and next day, having gained 



the hititude of 18^ 32' N., I stood to the westward, with 



the intention of pursuing the above-mentioned pa- 

 rallel as far as the Ladrone Islands. I did this with a 

 view of keeping fairly within the limit of the trade 

 wind, which, at the season of the year in which this 

 passage was made, is frequently variable in a higher 

 latitude, and even subject to interruptions from strong 

 north-westerly winds. I was also desirous of ascer- 

 taining the position of an island bearing the name of 

 Wake's Island, upon Arrowsmith's chart, situated 

 directly in the route between the Sandwich Islands and 

 China. 



A fresh trade-wind attended us until the fifth day 

 after our departure, when it was interrupted by a 

 breeze from the southward. The serenity of the sky 

 which accompanied the trade, now became obscured 

 by heavy thunder clouds, which gathered around us 

 until the night of the 6th, when they completely 

 blackened the sky. We had lightning frequently 

 during the day, which increased so much towards 

 night, that from eight o'clock to daylight the follow- 

 ing morning the sky presented an uninterrupted blaze 

 ofhght. It was unusually near ; the forked lightning 

 passed between the masts several times, and the zenith 

 occasionally presented a fiery mass of short curved lines, 

 which shot off in dift'erent directions like as many ar- 

 rows ; while the heavy peals of thunder which generally 

 accompany these storms were subdued by crackling dis- 

 charges not unlike the report of musketry from a 

 long line of infantry. About the commencement of 



