and the next day had feveral others of them in view, which were, in general,
high, and almoft covered with fnow.
p. 3ta. On the 26th they faw land, being part of the great Ifland Niphon or Japan:
p. 313. it was moderately high, but not irregular or broken, confiffing of double
ranges of hills, many of which were covered with trees; the fltore was deep,
rocky, and flrait, without the leaff appearance of a harbour; the northern
extremity of it fell into a Cope, whilff the fouthern made a kind of bluff.
The afpedl of the country was, in general, barren and rocky, at the diftance
they at firff viewed it from, but upon a nearer approach it appeared more fertile
and pleafant. They faw many fmokes on the hills.
p. 315. In the morning of the 29th they faw a Japanefe veffel Handing along fliore to
the northward; and half an hour after another Handing towards them: at nine
they brought to, intending to wait for the latter; but finding at ten ihe endeap.
316. voured to avoid them, they wore fltip, and purified their courfe. She appeared
to be about forty tons burthen, and had only one maff and fail, very fquare at
top, but narrower towards the bottom. By the help of their glaffes they could
perceive thofe on board to be in much confufion.
p. 322. November the 14th they defcried land; which proved to be one of thofe ifles
which are laid down to the northward of the Marian Iflands. They were now
P' 3*3- in latitude 24° 35' N. and longitude 141’ 15' E. The next day they ran along
the fouth fide of this ifland. Off the north end there was a reef of rockswhich
extended a confiderable diffanee from it, and over which the fea broke
violently. The fouth end was terminated by a high bluff rock, and upon the
middle they faw fome few trees, or rather fhrubs, for they were of a diminutive
fize, which probably might be owing to the fcarcity of the foil, the whole
being an aflemblage of rocky matter.
p. 3**- As they approached the bluff rock, they found it had the appearance of
having once been a volcano. On viewing the S. W. fide of it, they were confirmed
in this opinion; where the mouth or crater was very confpicuous,, and
upon its fides were large maffes of fulphur, and other combuffible matter.
Having
Having feen thus much of this ifland, and finding it too dangerous to attempt
landing, they bore away to the weffwatd. Captain Gore called it Sulphur Ifland.
The ,29th they defcried the Iflands of Lema, and the next day the Grand
Ladrone, which is the loftiefi of thofe ¡Hands, was diflant about three or four
miles. They were employed all the afternoop in working to windward, and at
fix came to an anchor, in ten fathom.
December the ifi they made fail towards Macao, and Captain King and another
officer wept on fliore m the pinnace, with a defign to fet off immediately
for Canton; being .„w an t qf Hores, which they hoped to be fupplied with
from fome of the Eaff India lhips that were taking in their lading there. But
upon their landing at Macao, being informed by fome Englifh gentlemen that
they muff firff obtain a paffport, which would at leaff be five days before its
arrive! from Canton, they, for the prefent, relinquiffied their defign. On the
-return o f the pinnace, the whole crew being impatient «0 learn the Hate of
affairs in England, from whence they had been abfent fo. long, got upon deck
to hear the news though it was very late before Captain King returned
Among a variety of other articles, they received a confirmation that a war with
France, which they had heard of at Kamtfchatika, had taken place.'
The 2d they weighed and flood towards the town' and a n rW u
miles from it, fainted the fort with thirteen g u n ^ l h rT V ^ P
number. All hands were now verv bufilv emnl / r ret1rn«d an equal
defence, in cafe they ffiould meet with any of the enemy’s fliipfj' “
The Chinefe Were very affiduous in their »¡fit«' . . 1
brought off, befides-arracki a hnr flH l , B among other articles p.
which the failors got fo ffitMicated ffia^tb ^
work: on this account it was forbid'to be brTughTinto^the " * *
guns to ffxfeenfaniffiofe o f ‘the Di? * * number of Refolutipn’s p.
>783. «hey weighed, and made fail,