T !■
From the Laclrones, I directed the course for the Bashee Islands,
and on the 7th of April, after experiencing light and variable winds,got
sight of the two northern islands of that group. The long northerly swell,
which had attended us almost all the way from the Sandwich Islands,
ceased immediately we were to the westward of the Ladrones; and
indeed the sea between them and the Bashee Islands was so smooth
that its heave was scarcely perceptible. We found by our observations
that the magnetic meridian intersects the channel between these
two groups of islands in the meridian of 226° 48' W. in the latitude of
20° 12' N .
The Bashee Islands, so called by the Buccaneers, in consequence
of a drink of that name, which was extracted by the natives from the
sugar-cane, form a long group very similar to the Ladrones, and extend
in the same direction nearly from north to south. Until these
islands were surveyed by Captain Horsburgh their positions were as
incorrectly determined as those of the Ladrones are at present. A con -
trary wind, which rendered it necessary to beat through the channel
between them and Botei Tobago Xima, afforded an opportunity of connecting
these islands trigonometrically, and of obtaining transit bearings
when in intermediate stations between them. The longitude also was
afterwards measured backwards and forwards between them and Macao,
and we thus had an opportunity of examining the chart of Captain
Horsburgh, which appeared to be constructed with great truth and with
his usual accuracy.
I regret not having seen the Cumbrian reef; w'e stood purposely
towards it until sun-set, and were within six miles of its situation when
we were obliged to go about iiy the approach of night.
The next day we stood toward the island of Formosa and tacked
within four miles of the Vele rete rocks, the largest of which has the appearance
of a vessel under sail. They lie offthe south end of the island
of Formosa*, and are surrounded by breakers, which in thick weather
could not be approached with safety. AVe observed sti'ong ripples in the
water near them, but the wind did not permit us to enter any for the pur*
T h e larg e rock bears S. 29'= 0 9 ' 15" E. from the west end of Lamay Island.
pose of sounding ; late in the evening, however, when we were several C H A P .
leagues from them, the iveather being nearly calm, w'e were drawn into
one ofthese ripples and continued in it several hours, during which time
-Aliril,
1827.
we tried for soundings with a hundred fathoms of line without success.
Upon trial a current was found to set S.E. seven furlongs per hour;
this experiment, however, was made from the ship by mooring a buoy,
and was probably incorrect, as the water was much agitated ; and had a
vessel seen it,or even heard it in the night-time (for it made a considerable
noise), she would have taken it for breakers and put about. A peculiar
smell was detected in the atmosphere while we remained unmanageable
in this local disturbance of the water, which some ascribed to sea-weed,
and others to dead fish.but itwas never ascertained whence it arose. Some
seamen have an idea, though it is not very general, that this peculiar
odour precedes a change of weather, and sometimes a storm, particularly
in the Mediterranean. On the present occasion nothing of the kind
occurred immediately, though about twenty-six hours afterwards, when
crossing the channel between F ormosa and the mainland, the temperature
fell sixteen degrees from the average height of the preceding
day, and the wind blew strong from the northward.
Before daylight on the 10th, while we were crossing the channel
to the westward of Formosa, going at the rate of ten miles an hour, we
found ourselves surrounded by Chinese fishing boats, and narrowly
escaped running over several of them, as it was very dark, and they ivere
so thick that in trying to escape one we endangered another, and
were obhged to lie to until daylight. These boats are la rp vessels,
and would endanger a small merchant ship were she to run foul of any
of them. AA'e were informed that they were upon their usual fi.shiiig
ground, and vessels therefore in approaching the spot should be cautious
how they proceed, as these boats carry only a large paper lantern, which
cannot be seen far off, and I believe they only show this when they
perceive a strange vessel. They were fishing in pairs, one vessel being
attached by cables to each end of an enormous net which kept them
both broadside to the sea ; they were constantly covered with the spray,
and being light, were washed about in so violent a manner that it
scarcely appeared possible for people to stand upon their decks. Still the