1767. about feven or eight leagues, and then a very deep bay run-
November. ^ -n t0 the N. and N. E. that-I could not fee the bot~
tom o f it. The weftermoft point o f th is bay is low, but
the land fbon rifes again, and runs along to the N. W. by W.
which feems to be the direction o f this coaft, from the
fouthermoft point -of the ifland towards the -city o f Mindanao.
To . the weftward o f this deep "bay, the land is all flat, and
in comparifon of the other parts o f the ifland, but thinly
wooded. Over this flat appears a peak o f ftupendous height,
which rifes into the clouds like a tower. Between the entrance
of this bay and the fouth point o f the ifland there is
another very high hill, the top o f which has the funnel
fhape of a volcano, but I did not perceive that it emitted
either fire or fmoke. It is poflible that this deep bay is that
which Dampier mentions, and that it is mifplaced by an
error o f fhe prefs; for if, 'inftead of faying it bore N. W. four
leagues 'from the eaftermdfi o f the iflands, b e had faid it bore
N. W. fourteen leagues from the •wcfermof of the iflands, it
would correfpond well with his defcription, the bearings
being the fame, and the land on the eaft fide o f it high, and
low on the weft.; he is alfo nearly right in the latitude o f
his iflands, which he makes $ ° i d N .; for probably fome
parts o f the ifouthermoft o f them may lie in that latitude;
but as T <did ,not go to the fouthward o f them, this is only
conjecture.
Between Hummock Ifland, which is the largeft and
weftermoft of them, and the iflands to the eaftwat d o f it,
which are all flat and even, is a pafiage running north and
fouth, which appears to be clear. The north eaftermoft of
thefe iflands is fmall, low, and flat, with a white fandy
beach all round it, and a great many trees in the middle.
Eaft,
G
Eaft, or north eaft o f this ifland, there are fhoals and break- 1767.
ers; and I faw no other appearance of danger in thefe parts. .N°rember'.
Neither did I fee any o f the iflands which are mentioned by
Dampier, and laid down in all the Charts, near Mindanao in
the ofling: perhaps they are at a, more remote diftance than
is commonly fuppofed; for without great'attention navigators
will be much deceived in this particular by the height
of the land, as I have obferved already; ;As.I coafted this
ifland, I found the current fet very ftrong to the fouthward
along the fhore, till ffi came to the fouth end o f it, .where I
found-it run N.W. and N.W. by W. which is nearly, as. the
land trends. We had the winds commonly from S.-W. to
N.W.,. with light airs, frequent rain, and., unfet.tied - weather.
We now bid farewel to Mindanaó greatly difappointed in
our hope o f obtaining refreflimeiitsy which at firft the inhabitants
fo readily promifed to furnilh. Wéf füfpeéïfed- that
there were Dutchmen, or at leaft Dutch partifans’ in the
town ; and that, having 'difbovered*us; to be' Englifh, ;they
had difpatched; an armed party to prevent our having any
intercourfe with the natives, who: arrived about two hours
after our friendly conference, and were the people that defied
us from the fhore.
Vol. I. 3 F C H A P .