Being now in fome fort eftabliftied at this place, we were enabled
more diftindtly to examine its qualities and productions ; and
that the reader may be better judge o f our manner of life here, and
future Navigators be better apprifed of the conveniencies we met
with, I (hal), before I proceed any farther in the hiftory of our
own adventures, throw together the moil interefting particulars
that came to our knowledge, relating to the fituation, foil, produce,
and accommodations o f this Ifland of 'Tinian.
This Ifland lie? in the latitude o f 15® : 8' North, and longitude
from Acapulco 114° : 50' Weft. Its length is about twelve miles,
and its breadth about half as much; it extending from the S, S. W.
to N. N. E . The foil is every where dry and healthy, and being
withal fomewhat fandy, it is thereby the lefs difpofed to a rank
and over luxuriant vegetation ; and hence the meadows and the
bottoms of the woods are much neater and fmoother than is cuf-
tomary in hot climates. The land rofe in gentle Hopes from the
very beach where we watered to the middle of the Ifland, though
the general courfe of its afcent was often interrupted by vallies of
an ealy delcent, many o f which wind irregularly through the country.
Thefe vallies and the gradual fwellings of the ground, which
their different combinations gave rife to, were moft beautifully di-
verfified by the mutual encroachments o f woods and lawns, which
coafted each other, and traverfed the Ifland in large traits. The
Woods confided of tall and well fpread trees, the greateft part of
them celebrated either for their afpect or their fruit: Whilft the
lawns were ufually o f,a confiderable breadth, their turf quite
clean and uniform, it being compofed of a very fine trefoil, which
was intermixed with a variety of flowers. The woods too were
in many places open, and free from all bulhes and underwood, fo
that they terminated on the lawns with a well defined outline,
where neither fhrubs nor weeds were to be feen ; but the neatnefe
of the adjacent turf was frequently extended to a confiderable
diftanee, under the hollow fhade formed by the trees. Hence arofe
a great number o f the moft elegant and entertaining profpefts,. according
to the different blendings of thefe woods and lawns, and
their
their various interfeftions with each other, as they fpread therap
i e s differently through the vallies, and over the Hopes and declivities
in which the place abounded. Nor were the allurements of
Tinian confined to the excellency of its landfkips only; fince the
fortunate animals, which during the greateft part of the year are
the foie lords of this happy foil, partake in fome meafure of the
romantic caft of the Ifland, and are no fmall addition to its wonderful
fcenery: For the cattle, of which it is not uncommon to
fee herds of fome thoufands feeding together in a large meadow,
are certainly the moft remarkable in the world, as they are all of
them milk-white, except their ears, which are generally brown or
black And though there are no inhabitants here, yet the clamour
and frequent parading of domeftic poultry, which range the woods
in great numbers, perpetually excite the idea of the neighbourhood .
of farms and villages, and greatly contribute to the chearfulnefs
and beauty of the place. The cattle on Tinian we computed were
at leaft ten thoufand ; we had no difficulty in getting near them,
for they were not at all flay of us. Our firft method of kflhng
them was (hooting them; but at laft, when, by accidents to be
hereafter recited, we were obliged to hufband our ammunition,
our men ran them down with eafe. Their ftefti was extremely
well tafted, and was believed by us tube much more eafily digefted
than any we had ever met with. The fowls too were exceeding
good, and were likewife run down with little trouble ; for
they could fcarce fly farther than a hundred yards at a flight, andi
even that fatigued them to fuch a degree, that they could not readily
rife again; fo that, aided by theopennefs of the woods, we could
at all times furniffi ourfelves with whatever number we wanted.
Befides the cattle and the poultry, we found here abundance of
wild hogs: Thefe were moft excellent food; but as they were a
very fierce animal, we were obliged either to (hoot them, or to
hunt them with large dogs, which we found upon the place at
our landing, and which belonged to the detachment which was
then upon the Ifland amaffing provifions for the garrifon at Guam.
As thefe dogs had been purpofely trained to the killing o f the