in the Pacific Ocean. 7S- 



which time we also saw immense shoals of spermaceti whales, of 

 all sizes, slowly directing their course to the northward. In this 

 run we saw vast numbers of flying fish, and many of that kind 

 which have red wings : they are much larger than the others, 

 and are never seen in shoals. From the time of leaving the 

 Gallipagoes we experienced a constant westerly set of the current, 

 which gradually decreased in velocity until we made the land, 

 when we found its rate to be only twelve miles in twenty-four 

 hours. At the time of our departure from the Gallipagoes, we 

 found ourselves set to the westward daily twenty-five miles, 

 and this was ascertained by the difi^erence between our dead 

 reckoning and our lunar observations, assisted by our chrO' 

 nometer. 



CHAPTER XII. 

 Waslmigton Islands. — Rooahooga. 



On the meridian of the 23rd October, the man at the masthead 

 discovered land bearing S. W. Our latitude at this time was 9^ 6' 

 south, and the longitudesby chronometer 138" 27' west, from which 

 we supposed it to be Hood's Island, one of the group of the Mar- 

 quesas Islands, discovered by Lord Hood, while a midshipman 

 with Captain Cook ; and from its position it could be no other. 

 Yet the description given of this Island by the historian of that 

 voyage, answers so little to Hood's Island, as seen by us, that I 

 should have had my doubts as to its identity, did not its latitude 

 and longitude both correspond with that given by Cook, Hergest, 

 and other navigators. Cook describes Hood's Island to be moun- 

 tainous, cut into valleys, and thickly covered with brush-wood, 

 and about fifteen or sixteen leagues in circuit. On my prizes 

 joining me, I steered a little more to the northward, under easy 

 sail, to fall in with the island of Rooahooga, one of the group 

 discovered by Captain Roberts of Boston, in the month of May, 

 in the year 1792. This group was called by him Washington 

 Group, and some of the islands were named by him Adams, 

 Jefferson, Hamilton, &c. &c. They were seen the preceding 

 year (1791) by a Captain Ingraham, of the same place; but he 

 had done no more than point out their situation. 



On the 20th June, 17915 some of them were seen, and their 

 position determined by a Captain Marchand, in the French ship 

 Solide, bound on a trading voyage to the N. W. coast of America. 

 Lieutenant Hergest, of the British navy, saw them on the 30th 

 Mai'ch, in the year 1792, examined their coasts, projected a chart 

 of them, and described them more minutely than any other navi- 

 gator. Captain Marchand and Lieutenant Hergest, probably 



