376 NEW DISCOVERIES— WESTERVELT'S GROUP. [1830. 



CHAPTER IV. 



New Discoveries — Westervelt's Group — An ominous Dream — A perilous Situa- 

 tion — Extricated by a dexterous nautical Manoeuvre — Bergh's Group discovered 

 — Livingston's Island — Arrive at Manilla— Philippine Islands — Luconia — 

 City and Bay of Manilla — A Hint to the Ladies. 



We were now sailing in that part of the Pacific Ocean which had 

 been the least traversed, either by merchantmen or discovery-ships. 

 Of the few islands which had heretofore been seen in these seas 

 scarcely any thing was known, except that they appeared on the latest 

 charts as the " Caroline Islands," with the remark that their situation 

 and positions were " not well determined." I had long since been 

 forcibly impressed with the idea that a rich field for tropical discove- 

 ries lay along this side the equator, between the meridians of 140° 

 and 160° east longitude ; and it was a firm conviction of this fact 

 that induced me to stretch so far north, before I bore away for the 

 Philippine Islands. The correctness of my theory was now about 

 to be fully and satisfactorily verified. 



February 23c?. — The cheering cry, from the mast-head, of " Land, 

 ho ! — land, ho ! under our starboard bow," brought every soul upon 

 deck. This was on Tuesday, the 23d of February, at about three, 

 P. M. We changed our course, and ran for the stranger ; which, at 

 four, P. M. was seen to be composed of three small low islands, of 

 nearly equal size, connected by a coral reef, and not laid down on 

 any chart, or mentioned in any epitome of navigation extant. They 

 are very low, the most elevated parts being not more than twenty-five 

 feet above the level of the sea ; but well wooded, being almost en- 

 tirely covered with cocoanut and bread-fruit trees. On examining 

 them closely, I found that neither of them was more than five 

 miles in circumference, and that biche-de-mer and pearl oysters may 

 be found both on and within the reef that connects them. As this 

 was evidently a new discovery, we concluded to name it Westervelt's 

 group, in honour of Jacob W T estervelt, Esq., an excellent shipwright, 

 jind a worthy citizen of the city of New- York. They are situated in 

 latitude 7° 5' N., long. 153° 10' E. 



In traversing these seas, I had deemed it necessary to multiply my 

 " look-outs ;" so that during the whole passage from New-Zealand to 

 the Philippine Islands, there was a regular mast-head kept day and 

 night ; besides one man on the extreme end of the jib-boom, one man 

 on the bowsprit, and one man on each cat-head ; all keeping a sharp 

 look-out for low land or breakers. My reasons for this extra precau- 

 tion, were to avoid the dangerous reefs which might be met with in 

 these partially explored regions, and the expectation of falling in with 

 islands which had never before been discovered. 



