436 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP. Monterey, by a person brought up to the business, was found to be 
equally bad ; and the failure, in all probability, arose from the heated 
and feverish state in which the animals were slaughtered. We fre- 
quently remonstrated with the governor of San Francisco against being 
obliged to kill the animals in this state, and begged he would have them 
penned up until the following day, as they were quite wild, had been 
harassed with lassos, and dragged many miles by tame bullocks. We 
did not however succeed, and if the animals were not slaughtered as 
they w'ere delivered into our charge, they either made their escape, or, 
as was the case with several, broke their necks in their struggles for 
freedom. The present supply of provision was consequently of the 
greatest importance. In addition to this we procured a few other 
stores, but not sufficient for our purpose, and there were no medicines 
to be had, so that it was still necessary to proceed to China. 
As soon as the ship was ready for sea, therefore, we endeavoured to 
sail, but the wind about this time blew from the south-west, and kept us 
imprisoned a fortnight ; the Harbour of Honoruru being so difficult of 
egress, that unless the wind be fair, or there be a perfect calm, a vessel 
cannot proceed to sea. On the 4th of March, however, we took our 
leave of the authorities and residents of the place, from both of whom w^e 
had received the greatest attention, and put to sea on our way to Macao. 
Upon leaving the Sandwich Islands, I directed the course to the 
southward; and next day, having gained the latitude of 18° 32' N., I 
stood to the westward, with the intention of pursuing the above-men- 
tioned parallel as far as the Ladrone Islands. I did this with a view 
of keeping fairly within the limit of the trade wind, which, at the season 
of the year in which this passage was made, is frequently variable in a 
higher latitude, and even subject to interruptions from strong north- 
w^esterly winds. I was also desirous of ascertaining the position of an 
island bearing the name of Wake’s Island, upon Arrowsmith s chart, 
situated directly in the route between the Sandwich Islands and China, 
A fresh trade-wind attended us until the fifth day after our de- 
parture, when it was interrupted by a breeze from the southward. 
The serenity of the sky which accompanied the trade, now became 
obscured by heavy thunder clouds, which gathered around us until the 
night of the 6‘th, when they completely blackened the sky. We had 
