T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 259 



when, finclino; that I could make no pro2;refs on this tack, '773- 



^ r o . March. 



and feeing nothing like a harbour, I tacked, and ftood ofF y — v— — ' 

 Soutli Weft. At this time, Cape Foulvveather bore North 

 Eaft by North, about eight leagues diftant. Toward noon, 

 the wind veered more to the Weftward, and the weather 

 became fair and clear ; fo that we were enabled to make 

 lunar obfervations. Having reduced all thofe that we had 

 made lince the i9thof laft month to the prefent ones, by 

 the time-keeper, amounting, in the whole, to feventy-two 

 fets ; their mean refult determined the longitude to be 

 235° 15' 26" Eaft, which was iV n" lefs than what the 

 time-keeper gave. This longitude is made ufe of for fettling 

 that of the coaft ; and I have not a doubt of its being with- 

 in a very few miles of the truth. 



Our difficulties now began to incrcafe. In the evening, 

 the wind came to the North Weft, blowing in fqualls with 

 hail and fleet ; and the weather being thick and hazy, I ftood 

 out to fea till near noon the next day, when I tacked and Monday 9. 

 ftood in again for the land, which made its appearance at 

 two in the afternoon, bearing Eaft North Eafti The wind 

 and weather continued the fame ; but, in the evening, the 

 former veered more to the Weft, and the latter grew worfe ; 

 which made it necefTary to tack and ftand off till four the 

 next morning, when I ventured to ftand in again. 



At four in the afternoon, we faw the land, which, at fix, Tuefdaj- 1<?. 

 extended from North Eaft half Kaft, to South Eaft by South, 

 about eight leagues diftant. In this fituation, we tacked and 

 founded ; but a line of a hundred and fixty fathoms did not 

 reach the ground. I ftood off till midnight, then ftood in Wednef. u. 

 again; and, at half pa ft fix, we were within three leagues 

 of the land, which extended from North by Eaft, half Eaft, 



L 1 2 to 



