HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
359 
i® 50' east. The longitude which has been assigned in this chart to Diego Garcia t 
appears to be the most probable. For, first, it has been determined by an almost 
direct course of two ships, from the Six Islands, to this island. Secondly, in 17495 
the ship the Griffin, having fallen in with Diego Garcia , steered to the north ; 
when several islands, which will be described hereafter, were seen to the west, in 
the latitude of 5 0 15' south ; and continuing its course to the northward, soundings 
were struck on the bank called the Speaker. Now, according to the construction 
of this chart, the Speaker bank was found in 70° 25' longitude south of Paris ; and 
the observation of the distance of the sun and moon, made on board this ship, places 
the Speaker bank in 70° 37' longitude, in the same meridian. The difference of 
12', which results from this construction, is too inconsiderable to leave any doubt 
as to the position that has been given, as well to the Six Islands, and Diego Garcia t 
as to the Speaker bank. 
“ In 1775, the schooner the Cheval Marin, after having taken soundings on the 
Speaker bank, fell in with the same islands which the ship the Griffin found to the 
south-west of the Speaker bank. Its course was continued to the south, with the 
hope of falling in with Chagas , but without success. It is to be presumed, therefore, 
that when they were in its latitude, they had got more to the west than they had 
reckoned, which accounts for their not having seen it. They then steered their 
course to the west, in order to find Diego Garcia ; and they run eighty leagues on 
this parallel without falling in with any land; which evidently proves that Diego 
Garcia , and Chagas , are but one and the same island. Having missed Chagas , they 
would have found Diego Garcia , if there had been two islands on this parallel. 
“ In 1776, the ship Salomon, steering to the east in 5 0 6' south latitude, fell in 
with the Isles Bourde and Salomon , so called from the names of the ship, and the 
Captain, who took the bearings of it. Having made twelve leagues to the east- 
north-east, from the point where the bearings were taken, he found himself on the 
southern edge of the Speaker bank, in 4 0 55' south latitude, from whence he con¬ 
tinued his course to the east, without seeing any land. These islands, which the 
ship Salomon found in 5 0 6' latitude, are the same which were seen to the south¬ 
west of the Speaker bank, by the Griffin, and the Cheval Marin. 
“ The Peros Banhos Islands are placed in this chart conformably to the track 
of the Elizabeth, in 1744, and in the longitude that was taken on getting sight of 
