THE PACIFIC OCEAN. *43 
iflands, lying between them and the Ladrones, which have 177 8 * 
been frequented by the Spaniards, almoft ever fmce the i Fd ”' ua ’>; 
date of Magalhaens’s voyage. Or, if the diftant Weftern 
fituation of the Ladrones fhould render this folution lefs 
probable, is there not the extenfive continent of America 
to windward, where the Spaniards have been fettled for 
more than two hundred years ; during which long period 
of time, fhipwrecks mull; have frequently happened on its 
coafts ? It cannot be thought at all extraordinary, that part 
of fuch wrecks, containing iron, fhould, by the Eafteriy 
trade wind, be, from time to time, call upon illands feat- 
tered about this vaft ocean. The dilfance of Atooi from 
America, is no argument againft this fuppofition. But 
even if it were, it would not deftroy it. This ocean is 
traverfed every year by Spanifh fhips; and it is obvious, 
that, befides the accident of lofing a malt, and its appen¬ 
dages, calks with iron hoops, and many other things con¬ 
taining iron, may be thrown, or may fall overboard, during 
fo long a palfage, and thus find their way to land. But 
thefe are not mere conjectures and poflibilities; for one of 
my people actually did fee fome wood in one of the houfes 
at Wymoa, which he judged to be fir. It was worm-eaten, 
and the natives gave him to underftand, that it had been 
driven afhore by the waves of the fea; and we had their 
own exprefs teftimony, that they had got the inconfiderable 
fpecimens of iron found amongft them, from fome place to 
the Eaftward. 
From this digreflion (if it can be called fo), I return to the 
obfervations made during our flay at Atooi; and fome ac¬ 
count mull now be given of their canoes. Thefe, in gene¬ 
ral, are about twenty-four feet long, and have the bottom, 
for the mofi part, formed of a fingle piece or log of wood, 
I i 2 hollowed 
