412, 
A VOYAGE TO 
1 779 * fide? within a mile of the reef, we obferved two remark- 
i _ _ able patches on the edge of the breakers, that looked like 
wrecks. At noon, the latitude found by double altitudes 
was 20° 39 0 , longitude n6° 45k The illandbore North three 
quarters Eaft, diftant three or four leagues. On the South 
Weil iide of the reef, and near the South end of the iiland, 
we thought we faw, from the mall-head, openings in the 
reef, which promifed fafe anchorage. 
The Prata fhoal is of a conftderable extent, being fix 
leagues from North to South, and ilretching three or four 
leagues to the Eaftward of the iiland ; its limit to the Weft- 
ward we were not in a iituation to determine.. The North 
Eaft extremity we place in latitude 20° 58',. and longitude 
117 0 ; and the South Weft in latitude 20° 45', and longitude 
116 0 44b 
For the remaining part of the day we carried a prefs of 
fail, and kept the wind, which was North Eaft by North, 
in order to fecure our paffage to Macao. It was fortunate, 
that toward evening the wind favoured us, by changing two 
points more to the Eaft; for had the wind and weather 
continued the fame as during the preceding week, I doubt 
whether we could have fetched that port, in which cafe we 
muft have born away for Batavia; a place we all dreaded 
exceedingly, from the fad havoc the unhealthinefs of the 
climate had made in the crews of the former fhips that had 
been out on difcovery, and had touched there. 
Monday 29. In the forenoon of the 29th, we palled fever at Chineie 
fiftiing boats, who eyed us with great indifference. They 
fffh with a large dredge-net, fliaped like a hollow cone, 
having a flat iron rim fixed to the lower part of its mouth. 
The net is made fall with cords to the head and ftern of 
the boat, which being left to drive with the wind, draws 
the 
