,
CHAP. the resorts of the Buccaneers, and the day following made the Island
of Botei Tobago Xima. AVhile off the Bashee Islands we noticed a great
“ 27. Balingtang Channel, and during the night we experienced
so strong a current to the north-west that instead of passing the Cumbrian
Beef ten miles to the eastward, as we e.xpected, on the following morning
vve found, much to our surprise, that we had been set on the opposite
side of it, and much closer than was consisteut with security in a dark
night. These currents render precaution very necessary; that by which
we were affected ran N. 56° AA". twenty-six miles during the night,
or about two miles and a half per hour. AA"e continued to feel this
effect until we were a full day’s sail from Botei Tobago Xima, and we
were obliged in consequence to beat through the channel between that
island and Formosa. In doing this we had an opportunity of examining
the shores of Botei Tobago Xima, and of constructing a tolerably
good plan of its northern and western sides, besides determining its
position more accurately than had been done when we passed it on
the former occasion.
The aspect of this part of the island is both agreeable and picturesque.
The mountains are covered with wood and verdure to their
summit, and are broken by vallej's which open out upon plains sloping
rather abruptly from the bases of the hills to the sea coast. Almost
every part of this plain is cultivated in the Chinese manner, being
walled up in steep places, like the sides of Bane’s Island in the Tigris.
Groves and tufts of palm trees break the stiffness which this mode
of cultivation would otherwise wear, and by their graceful foliage
greatly improve its appearance. In a sandy bay on the north side of
the island there is a large village consisting of low houses with pointed
roofs.
There are several rocky paints on the north-west side, and some
detached rocks lie off the northern extreme, which are remarkable for
their spire-like form. The coast is rocky in almost every part, and probably
dangerous to land upon, as these needle rocks are seen in many
parts of the island. With the exception, however, of those offthe north
extreme, they are attached to the island by very low land, but the shore
under water often assumes the character of that which is above, in which CHAP.
case a vigilant look out for rocks would here be necessary in rowing
along the coast. At three miles distance from the land we had no Mg,
bottom with 120 fathoms of line.
After beating two days off Tobago Xima without being able to
make ranch progress against the current, which on the average ran a
mile and a quarter per hour, on the 10th, a change of wind enabled
us to steer our course. AA"e took our departure, from Samsanna, an island
to the northward of Tobago Xima, situated, by our observations, nearly
in latitute 22° 42' N., and exactly 8' west of the eastern extreme of the
Little Tobago Xima.
I intended, on leaving Macao, to explore the sea to the eastward
of Loo Choo, particularly that part o f it where the Yslas Arzobispo,
the Malabrigos, and the Bonin Islands, are laid down in various charts.
It was, however, no easy matter to reach thus far, and what with light,
variable winds, and contrary currents, our progress was extremely slow,
so that on the ISth, we found ourselves not far from the Great Loo
Choo with a contrary wind.
About this time it was discovered that the water we had taken on
board at Macao was extremely bad, owing to the neglect of the comprador
in filling the casks, and as I had no object in reaching Kam-
schatka for nearly two months, I determined upon proceeding to Napa-
kang in Loo Choo. I was further induced to do this, on account of the
longitude of the places we might meet between it and Petrapaulski.
AA-’e therefore bore away to the westward, and in the evening saw the
island bearing AV. by N. ten leagues distant.
The following morning we were close to the reefs by which the
Island of Loo Choo is nearly surrounded, and steered along them to the
southward, remarking as we passed the excellent harbours which appear
to be formed within them ; and planning a chart of them as correctly
as our distance from the shore, and other circumstances, would permit.
The sea rolled furiously over the reefs, which presented a most formidable
barrier to encounter in a dark night, but we were glad to find
that this danger was lessened by soundings being found outside them,
in a depth of water which would enable a vessel to anchor in case of