A V O Y A G E T O
■779- remarkable occurrence, till the 12th, when we had a molt N o v em b e r . .
• violent gale o f wind from the fame quarter,•Friday 12. , _ . which reduced
us to thyg fore-fail, and mizen ftay-fail; and, as the weather
was fo hazy, that we were not able to fee a cable’s length
before us, and many ihoals and fmall illands are laid down
in our charts, in this part o f the ocean, we brought to, with
our heads to the South Weft. At noon, the latitude, by account,
was 27° 36', longitude 144° 25'. In the morning o f
Sa tu rda y 1 3 . t j l e the wind fluffing round to the North Weft,
brought with it fair wea th er; but though we were at this
time nearly in the iituation given to the ifland o f St. Juan,
we faw no appearance o f land. We now bore away to the
South Weft, and fet the top-fails, the gale ftill continuing
with great violence. At noon, the latitude, by obfervation,
was 26° o', longitude 143° 40', and variation 3° 50' Eaft. In
the afternoon, we faw flying fiih, and dolphins, alfo tropic
birds, and albatrofles. We ftill continued to pafs much
pumice ftone: indeed, the prodigious quantities o f this fub-
ftance, which float in the fea, between Japan and the Bafhee
Illands, feem to indicate, that fome great volcanic convul-
fion rauft have happened in this part o f the Pacific Ocean;
and, confequently, give fome degree o f probability to the
opinion o f Mr. Muller, which I have already had occafion
to mention, refpeiiing the ieparation o f the continent o f
Jefo, and the difappearance o f Company’s Land, and Staten
Ifland.
At fix in the afternoon, w e altered our courfe to the Weft
South Weft, Captain Gore ju d g in g it ufelefs to fteer any longer
to the South South Weft, as we were near the meridian o f the
Ladrones, or Marianne Elands, and at no great diftance from
Sunday 14 the track o f the Manilla ihips. In the morning o f the 14th,
the
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