382 PORT OF MANILLA. [1830. 



twelve fathoms of water, over a coral bottom, about one-fourth of a 

 mile off-shore. 



I determined the situation of this island to be in latitude 8° 25' N., 

 long. 1 50° 22' E. The latitude is correct, but the longitude may be 

 liable to an error of a few miles, on account of the weather being 

 squally, which prevented our getting sights for the chronometers, or 

 taking astronomical observations. As this was obviously an entire 

 new discovery, we gave it the name of Livingston's Island, in honour 

 of Charles L. Livingston, Esq., of New-York ; a gentleman whose 

 worth and talents are well known and highly appreciated in his native 

 state. 



February 27th. — On Saturday, the 27th, at eight, P. M., we bore 

 up, and left Livingston's Island, steering to the west-north-west, with a 

 fine breeze from the north-east, attended with light squalls of rain. 

 We continued standing to the westward, passing to the south of the 

 island of Guham, frequently seeing sperm-whales, turtles, fish of various 

 kinds, and many species of oceanic birds. 



March 7th. — On the evening of Sunday, the 7th, at nine, P. M., 

 we arrived at the east entrance of the Strait of Manilla, or St. Barnar- 

 dino, in latitude 12° 45' N., long. 124° 31' E. The north-east point 

 of Samar Island (which should always be the first land made in run- 

 ning for Manilla Strait) is situated in latitude 12° 38' N., long. 125° 

 29' E. In doubling this cape, you may come within about two miles 

 of the land, if you think proper ; but I would always advise mariners, 

 in running for the strait, to give this land a berth of six or eight miles ; 

 as there are several small rocky islands lying between Cape Espiritu 

 Santo and the island of St. Barnardino, which lies in the middle of the 

 east entrance of Manilla Strait. This island may be passed on either 

 side, though the preference is to be given to the north, which I would 

 always recommend to strangers, as this passage is clear of dangers ; 

 while the southern passage is intersected with several dangerous shoals, 

 upon which ships, in light airs, are very liable to be carried by the 

 strong tides, which run in whirlpools, from three to five miles an hour. 



March 10th. — We pursued our course through the strait, with light 

 variable winds, and fair weather, until Wednesday, the 10th of March, 

 when, at eleven, A. M., we came to anchor in Manilla Roads, in four 

 fathoms of water, clay bottom, with the lighthouse on the mole, at the 

 north point of the river Cour, bearing north-east, distant one niile and 

 a half. Here we found many ships of different nations lying at anchor, 

 and waiting for cargoes. Among the flags, I recognised those of Spain, 

 France, Portugal, England, China, and the star-spangled banner of my 

 native land. At one, P. M., we were honoured by visits from the 

 health officer of the port and the custom-house officer, and went through 

 all the little ceremonies and et ceteras incidental to the entrance of a 

 stranger into a foreign port. 



The city of Manilla is the capital of the island of Luconia, and of 

 all the Spanish possessions in the Philippine Islands. This extensive 

 group of islands, which is supposed to comprise ten hundred, is situ- 

 ated in the North Pacific Ocean, east of Cochin China, forming the 

 eastern boundary of the Chinese Sea. These islands are scattered 



