403 
THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
by its diftance from the fhips, at this time fifteen leagues, 
140° 26b 
As the Dutch charts make the coaft of Japan extend about 
ten leagues to the South Well of White Point, at eight we 
tacked, and flood off to the Eaftward, in order to weather 
the point. At midnight, we again tacked to the South 
Weft, expecting to fall in with the coaft to the Southward, 
but were furprized, in the morning at eight, to fee the 
hummock, at the diftance only of three leagues, bearing 
Weft North Weft. We began, at firft, to doubt the evidence 
of our fenfes, and afterward to fufpedt fome deception from 
a fimilarity of land; but, at noon, we found ourfelves, by 
obfervation, to be actually in latitude 33 0 43', at a time 
when our reckonings gave us 34 0 48'. So that, during the 
eight hours in which we fuppofed we had made a courfe 
of nine leagues to the South Weft, we had in reality been 
carried eight leagues from the pofition we left, in a direc¬ 
tion diametrically oppofite ; which made, on the whole, in 
that fliort fpace of time, a difference, in our reckoning, of 
feventeen leagues. From this error, we calculated, that 
the current had fet to the North Eaft by North, at the rate 
of at leaft five miles an hour. Our longitude, at this time, 
was 141 0 16'. 
The weather having now the fame threatening appear¬ 
ance as on the 29th of October, which was followed by fo 
hidden and fevere a gale, and the wind continuing at South 
South Eaft, it was thought prudent to leave the fliore, and 
Hand off to the Eaft ward, to prevent our being entangled 
with the land. Nor were we wrong in our prognoftica- 
tions; for it foon afterward began, and continued till next 
day, to blow a heavy gale, accompanied with hazy and 
rainy weather. In the morning of the 3d, we found our- 
3 F 2 - felves, 
1 779* 
November. 
Tuefday z. 
Wednef. i. 
