A VOYAGE TO 
^ xx^ ^' ^<^^^nded and flruck the ground in fifteen fathoms water? 
' — — ' although no land was to be feen : a man was then fent 
Ma), 1788. ^^^^ maft-head, who could plainly difcern that the flioal 
run to the weftward, on which Captain Marfiiall altered his 
courfe and ftretched to the eaftward, carrying foundings 
from fifteen to thirty fathoms water, over a rocky bot- 
tom, and in many places they could fee the ground very 
' diftinftly. After running to the eaftward, about eight 
miles, they found no bottom with feventy fathoms of 
line, which occalioned the Captain to tack and ftand to 
the fouthward. Vaft numbers of birds of different 
kinds were flying to the weftward of the flioal, fo that 
there probably is an ifland near that iituation. The eaft 
part of this flioal is iituated in 173° 12' eaft longitude, 
and the fouth part of it in 15° 50' fouth latitude, but 
how far it extends to the weft ward and northward is- 
- very uncertain, though doubtiefs to a coniiderable dif- 
tance, as the water had a white appearance from the maft 
■ head as far as the eye could reach. Being now entirely 
free from the fhoal, they ftood to the northward, with a 
light eafierly breeze, and moderate weather. On the 
Monday 9. 9th, in 7 59/ fouth latitude, the wind fliifted to the 
weftv/ard and continued in the weftern board till the 
Friday 13. 13th whcu it again changed to the eaftward. 
Wednef. 18. At fix o'clock in the morning of the i8th they faw 
an illand right a-head, bearing north half weft eight or 
6 nine 
