288 SAN FRANCISCO TO MANILLA. 



pound piece mounted on the bow. These vessels, I understood, are 

 intended principally to pursue the pirates of Sooloo", who not unfre- 

 quently make excursions among the islands, attacking the villages, 

 and carrying off the inhabitants as slaves. They are manned by the 

 natives of this island, who are represented as active and expert sailors, 

 although they are, generally, of small size. 



After dark, we anchored about eight miles from the city, in the 

 middle of the broad and beautiful expanse of its bay, which is nearly 

 circular, with an almost uniform depth of water. I learned, whilst at 

 Manilla, that since the settlement of Europeans, the bay has filled up 

 in places very considerably, from the wash of the hills. The lands in 

 the vicinity are high and mountainous, and are clothed with the vege- 

 tation of the tropics. After dark, the many lights that were seen in 

 the direction of the city gave the bay an animated appearance, and 

 bespoke our being near a large and active population. 



Mr. Knox reported to me that after his separation, on the 30th of 

 November, he stood for the position of Cornwallis Island, as laid 

 down by Arrowsmith in longitude 169° 31' W-, latitude 16° 50' N., 

 without seeing any indication of land. Twenty-two miles to the 

 south-by-east of this position, he discovered a reef, which surrounded 

 an extensive lagoon, extending northeast and southwest ten miles, 

 and in the opposite direction five miles. On the northwest side of 

 this reef there are two low islets : the one to the westward was covered 

 with bushes, but no trees ; the other was no more than a sand-bank. 

 This reef lies deep. The longitude of the westernmost islet was 

 found to be 169° 45' 36" W., and latitude 16° 48' N. He then bore 

 away for San Pedro of Arrowsmith, in longitude 179° 00' W., and 

 latitude 11° 17' N., and on the 7th of December sailed over it and 

 on its parallel forty miles both east and west, but saw no indications 

 of land whatever. 



The Mulgrave Islands were steered for, and two small islands 

 made on the 16th, in the position of longitude 172° 02' 33" E., and 

 latitude 5° 59' 15" N., which corresponds with the position of Arrow- 

 smith. They are low islets, extending two miles from north to south, 

 and one and a half from east to west. They are connected by a reef, 

 which surrounds a lagoon. They were seen to be inhabited, but no 

 communication was had with them. 



Bapham's, a lagoon island, was made on the 17th : it was found to 

 be correctly located ; it is also inhabited. 



Hunter's Island was made the same evening, and was examined 



