406 A VOYAGE TO 
1779. violent gale of wind from the fame quarter, which reduced 
us to the fore-fail, and mizen ffcay-fail; and, as the weather 
was fo hazy, that we were not able to fee a cable’s length 
before us, and many fhoals and fmall iflands are laid down 
in our charts, in this part of the ocean, we brought to, with 
our heads to the South Weft. At noon, the latitude, by ac¬ 
count, was 27 0 3b 7 , longitude 144 0 25'. In the morning 
Saturday i 3 . of the 13th, the wind drifting round to the North Weft, 
brought with it fair weather; but though we were at this 
time nearly in the fttuation given to the ill and of St. Juan, 
we faw no appearance of land. We now bore away to the 
South Weft, and fet the top-fails, the gale ftill continuing 
with great violence. At noon, the latitude, by obfervation, 
was 26° o', longitude 143 0 40', and variation 3 0 50' Eaft. In 
the afternoon, we faw flying filh, and dolphins, alfo tropic 
birds, and albatrofles. We ftill continued to pafs much 
pumice-ftone: indeed, the prodigious quantities of this fub- 
ftance, which float in the fea, between Japan and the Balhee 
Iflands, feem to indicate, that fome great volcanic convul- 
fion muft have happened in this part of the Pacific Ocean; 
and, confequently, give fome degree of probability to the 
opinion of Mr. Muller, which I have already had occafion 
to mention, refpedting the feparation of the continent of 
Jefo, and the difappearance of Company’s Land, and Staten 
Ifland. 
At fix in the afternoon, we altered our courfe to the 
Weft South Weft, Captain Gore judging it ufelefs to fteer 
any longer to the South South Weft, as we were near the 
meridian of the Ladrones, or Marianne Iflands, and at no 
great diftance from the track of the Manilla fliips. In the 
Sunday 14. morning of the 14th, the weather became fine, and the 
wind, which was moderate, gradually fluffed to the North 
Eaft, 
