320 AVOYAGETOTHE 



CHAP 



XIV. 



point, we hauled to the Weft North Weft, at the rate of 

 • ' ftx and feven knots an hour. Immediately on settinc; 



1787. . J O tD 



November. Tound tlie Soutli point, I obferved the land to bend fliort 

 "'•' ay 's- -j^ ^Q ^j^g Northward, and form a very good bay for flielter 

 againft the North Eaft winds, the water in the bay quite 

 fmooth, and fcarce any furf on the beach. I had an in- 

 tention of anchoring upon this coaft, and would have done 

 it, had I feen any inhabitants or habitations to have entered 

 into a traffic with them; but as I faw no appearance of 

 this part of the land being peopled, I gave up the idea, 

 and proceeded on towards the coaft of China, with a frefti 

 gale at North Eaft by North, with frequent gufts from the 

 land, and dark cloudy weather. At. noon moderate with 

 unfettled looking weather, the South point of Formola 

 bearing Eaft by South, diftant about five leagues, and the 

 Northernmoft part in fight on the Weftern fide Nortfi 

 Weft one quarter Weft, diftant four leagues. No obferva- 

 tion. Latitude account 22" 06' North, longitude by ac- 

 count 229° 37^, longitude by departure 239° 2'. 



Sunday i8. This moming at daylight we were furrounded by a mul - 



titude of Chinefe fifhing-vefl'els or junks; at feven faw the 

 land through the haze, bearing from North to Weft" North 

 Weft, and at eight faw Pedro Branca, bearing Weft by 

 North, diftant four or five leagues. A moderate breeze at 

 North, with very hazy weather, with which w^e fteered 

 Weft by North, about four and a half knots per Hour. In 

 this run from the South point of Formofa, the fhip a-head 

 of the reckoning nearly eighty miles of longitude. At 

 half paft nine, feeing a Chinefe veflel fteering down towards 

 us, we fhortened fail, and brought-to, in hopes of getting 

 a pilot out of her. . Sent the whale-boat on board her, 



which 



