THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



419 



The next morning we got a breeze Eafterly ; and, what '778. 



was uncommon, with this wind, clear weather; fo that we ^— ~,-l_/ 



not only faw the volcano, but other mountains, both to the " ^^^^' 



Eaft and Weft of it, and all the coaft of the main land under 



them, much plainer than at any time before. It extended 



from North Eaft by North, to North Weft half Weft, where 



it feemed to terminate. Between this point and the iftands 



without it, there appeared a large opening, for which I 



fleered, till we raifed land beyond it. This land, although 



we did not perceive that it joined the continent, made a paf- 



fage through the opening very doubtful. It alfo made it 



doubtful, whether the land which we faw to the South Weft, 



was infular or continental ; and, if the latter, it was obvious 



that the opening would be a deep bay or inlet, from which, 



if once we entered it with an Eafterly wind, it would not 



be fo eafy to get out. Not caring, therefore, to truft too 



much to' appearances, I ftcered to the Southward. Having 



thus got without all the land in fight, I then fleered Weft, 



in which dire(5tion the iftands lay; for fuch we found this 



land to be. 



By eight o'clock we had paflfed three of them, all of a 

 good height. More of them were now feen to the Weft- 

 ward ; the South Wefternmoft part of them bearing Weft: 

 North Weft. The weather, in the afternoon, became 

 gloomy, and at length turned to a mift ; and the wind 

 blew frefli at Eaft. I therefore, at ten at night, hauled the 

 wind to the Southward till day-break, when we refumed our iriday zfi. 

 courfe to the Weft. 



Day-light availed us little ; for the weather was fo thick, 

 that we could not fee a hundred yards before us; but as 

 the wind was now moderate, I ventured to run. At half 



3 H 2 paft 



