1792. A light eaftwardly breeze brought us in the afternoon within fight of
■ ^ 1 Titeroa, and at fun fet that ifland bore by compafs from N.by w . to
N. by e . ; Otaheite s. e . to s . ; and Morea s. s.w. to s.w, Our prö-
Wedncf. 2.5. grefs was fo flow that, at noon the next day, we obferved in latitude
iy° i '9 Morea bearing by compafs s. 24 w* to s.8 w .; Otaheite s. 11 e .
to s. 41 e . and Titeroa n . 85 e . to N. 45 e . about three or four miles
diftant. Some o f the inhabitants vifited us from this ifland, and brought
a few fowls, fifh, and cocoa nuts to barter. The weather falling calm,
and the fhip drifting fafl in with the land, we were employed until fun
fet in towing her from it. A t this time a light breeze fpringing up
from the fouth the boats were taken on board, and all fail made to the
Friday 27. northward; but fo tardily did we proceed that, on the 27th in the morn-
February. ing, Otaheite and Morea were ftill in fight aftern. We continued mov-
Wcdnel 1'! ing at this gentle rate until wednefday the il l of february, at which
time we had reached only the latitude of 130 54', longitude 209” 53'.
The wind had been variable, though chiefly from the eaftërn quarter,
with tolerably fair weather. From this period our progrefs was fome-
what accelerated. We were daily vifited by numerous birds which inhabit
the low half drowned iflands of this ocean, varying in their kinds
WedneC 8. as ’.yell as numbers, until the 8th, when, in latitude 40 36', and longitude
209° 15', they appeared to have intirely deferted us. During this
laft week the weather had been clear, though very fultry, with a moderate
breeze between the e . n . e . and n . n . e . The dead reckoning had
hitherto varied about half a degree only to the weftward of the chronometer
; but as we now advanced, we found a very ftrong weftwardly
current, which affefted us fo much, that when we reached the equator*
Sunday« . which was about noon on the 12th, our longitude by account was
2100 35', although by the chronometer we were then in 207° 38' only.
WedneC 15. This afternoon a few birds were again feen about the fhip; the winds
* The lati- and weather continued nearly the fame, attended with a heavy northerly
tudeishere-. fweu; which continued to be very unpleafant, and generally from the
coniidered as n . e . After croffing the line, the current feemed to fet to the north weft-
wdeuna it ward, until in latitude 4°54' north,* longitude by the chronometer 204° 4',
S t a s by the dead reckoning 209° 22', which proved, that fince we had entered
indicated. the
the northern hemifphere, we had been fet, in the courfe o f three days, ^hmiry
81' to the weftward, and 50' to the north. From this point the current t— ■*— >
ceafed to fet to the weftward, but continued its northern direftion, inclining
a little to the eaft, at the rate of 4 to 5 leagues per day. Several
birds, which had been our conftant attendants fince the 1 2th, became
very fcarce after this evening. The trade wind between n .e . and e .n . e .
blew a frelh gale. The weather in general was cloudy, with fqualls,
accompanied with a very heavy fea from the eaftward.
The Iky, on the morning1 of the 16th, being‘ tolerably clear, I was Thurfdayi6.
enabled to obtain fix fets of diftances of d a ©, the mean refult of which
gave the longitude 204° 5'53", the chronometer Ihewed 204° 6' 15"; latitude
6° 14'. Very few birds were now to be feen; but in the morning one
or two turtles were obferved. The wind prevailing to the northward of
N .E . ; rendered our reaching the Sandwich iflands, without being firftled
a confiderable diftance beyond them, a very doubtful circumftance.
This induced me to take advantage of the current, which ftill continued
to fet to the northward; and by Handing to the eaftward or northward
as the wind veered, on the 23d we reached the latitude of 12°18', the Thurfday-3.
longitude by the chronometer 203“ 16', and by the dead reckoning 207“
42'. The wind now blew a moderate breeze moftly from the eaftward;
W h ich p e rm i t t e d u s t o m a k e a c o u r fe g o o d , a l it t le t o th e e a f tw a rd o f
n o r th .
On the 26th, the mean refult of fix fets o f diftances 5 a 0 gave the Sunday 26.
longitude at noon 203° 48', the chronometer 203° 40', by the dead reckoning
208° 23', the latitude 15° 25';
The wind, which was light, continued between the eaft and N .E . ’ attended
with a hollow rolling fwell from the n .w . On wednelday, in la- Wcdnef. 29.
titude 17° 22', longitude 203*30', after a few hours calm, towards fun-,
fet a breeze fprang up from the N.w. We now ftood to the n . n .e . ; March,
which courfe, by day-light on thurfday the lft of- march, brought us in xhurfday 1.
fight o f Owhyhee, bearing by compafs from north to n . by e . about 24
leagues diftant.
The order for prohibiting general trade with the Indians was again
read to the fliip’s company. A particular attention to fuch regulations
. V ol. I. X with