240 L O R D A N S O N ’ S* V O Y A G E
the getting through the channel called the Boccadero, to the eaft-
ward, mud be a troublefome navigation, and in fail, it is fometimes
the end of Augujl before they compleat it. When they have cleared
this paflage, and are difentangled from the iflands, they ftand
to the northward of the eaft, till they arrive in the latitude o f thirty
degrees or upwards, where they expeift to meet with wefterly
winds, before which they ftretch away for the coaft o f California.
T o give a better idea o f the track which they hold in this navigation,
I have inferted, towards the latter end o f the third book, the
copy of a manufcript chart, that was taken on board one of thele
(hips* on which I have laid down the particular route o f this veflel,
both in her paflage from Manila to Acapulco, and from Acapulco
back again. In this chart (as it was drawn for the ufe o f the Spanijh
General) there are contained all the difcoveries the Manila (hips
have at any time made in traverfing the vaft Ocean between the
Philippine Iflands and the coaft o f Mexico; whence it appears how
minute and inconfiderable. thofe. fragments o f land are which lie
difperfed in that prodigious fea, It is indeed moft remarkable, that
by the concurrent teftimony of all the Spanijh Navigators, there is
not one port, nor even a tolerable road as yet found out, betwixt
the Philippine. Iflands and the coaft o f California: So that from
the time the Manila (hip firft lofes fight of land, (he never lets go
her anchor tilj (he arrives on the coaft o f California, and very often
not till (he gets to its fouthermoft extremity. As this voyage is
rarely of lefs than fix months continuance, and the (hip is deep
laden with merchandize and crouded with people, it may appear
wonderful how they can be fupplied with a flock o f frelh water
for fo long a time. The method o f procuring it, is indeed extremely
lingular, and deferves a very particular recital.
It is well known to thofe who are acquainted with the Spanijh-
cuftoms in the South-Seas, that their water is preferved on (hip-
board not in calks but.in earthen jars, which in fome fort referable
the large oil jars we often fee in Europe, When the Manila (hip
firft puts to fea, (he takes on board a much greater quantity of wa-
R O U N D t h e w o r l d . 241
ter that can be (towed between decks, and the jars which contain
it are hung all about the (hrouds and (lays, fo as to exhibit at a
diftance a very odd appearance. Though it is one convenience of
their jars that they are much more manageable than cades, and
are liable to no leakage, unlefs they are broken ; yet.it is diffidently
obvious, that a fix, or even a three months (tore of wateneould
never be (towed in a (hip fo loaded, by any management whatever,
and therefore without fome other fupply, this navigation
could not be performed. A fupply indeed they have, but the reliance
upon it feems at firft fight fo extremely precarious, that it is
wonderful fuch numbers fhould rifque the perilhing by the moft
dreadful of all deaths, on the expeftation of fo cafual a relief.
In (hort, their only method of recruiting their water is by the
rains, which they meet with between the latitudes of 30 and 40 0
North, and which they are always prepared to catch. For this
purpofe they take to fea with them a great number of mats, which,
whenever the rain defeends, they range: flopingly againft the gunwale,
from one end of the (hip to the other, their lower edges
refting on a large fplit bamboe; whence all the water which falls on
the mats, drains into the bamboe, and by this, as a trough, is conveyed
into a jar. And this method of furnifhing themfelves with
water, however accidental and extraordinary it may at firft fight
appear, hath never been known to fail them, but it hath been common
for them, when their voyage is a little longer than ufual, to
fill all their water jars feveral times over.
However, though their diftrefles for frefh water are much (hoct
of what might be expefted in fo tedious a navigation; yet there
are other inconveniences generally attendant upon a long continuance
at fea, from which they are not exempted. The principal of
thefe is the feurvy, which fometimes rages with extreme violence,
and deftroys great numbers of the people ; but at other times their
paflage to Acapulco (of which alone I would be here underftood to
- fpeak) is performed with little lofs.
ThÇ