1787. lued, that they would fcarcely take a faw for a feal Ikin; but time
A"s.uft', and ufe will no doubt teath them the value both of thefe and other
utenlils left by us on the coaft.
I have now taken notice of every circumftance refpedting thefe
people that fell within my immediate obfervation. I might indeed
fpin my letter into a volume, with notions merely conjectural;
fuch as the origin of thefe people, from what country they firft
emigrated, &c. &c. but as conjectures are fometimes partial,
often uncertain, and therefore inconclulive, I am fure thou wilt
be pleafed that I do not trouble thee with any thing of the kind,
and wilt perhaps think me fufficiently tedious already— fo that I
fhall conclude, with perfect aflurances of unalterable efteem and
attachment, thine, &c.
D a t es at Sea, }
Augult 15th. ƒ
W. B,
L E T T E R X X X IX .
HA V I N G already given thee every information in my power
refpecting the dreary and inhofpitable American coaft, I
fhall return to our proceedings on board. I have already obferv-
ed, that we parted with our new friends in the morning of the
9th of Auguft, they fleering for Queen Charlotte’s Iflands, and
we lhaping our courfe for Sandwich Illands, in far better fpirits
than
thrn when we left the coaft laft year. At 10 o clock, Woody ^7®7^
Point bore North by Eaft 7 leagues diftant ; our latitude at noon
was 49 deg. 30 min. and the longitude 128 deg. 10 min. Weft.
From this to the 12th, we had a fre(li fteady breeze at North
Weft, with moderate weather. Our latitude at noon on the 12th,
was 44 deg. 22 min. North; and 131 deg. 59 min. Weft longitude.
From the 12th to the 15th, we had chiefly light variable winds,
with calms by turns. Early in the morning of the 16th, a frelh
breeze again. fprung up at North North Weft. Our latitude at
noon wds^-i deg. 41 min. and the longitude by lunar obfervation,
131 deg. Weft.
For fome days paft, we had feen an innumerable quantity of
curious animal and vegetable fubftances floating on the water,
called by bailors, Portügueze men of w ar; the bottom part is about
two inches long, oval, and of a purple colour; the upper part is
quite thin and expanded, nearly in the Ihape of a fan. We found
the variation of the compafs here 16 deg. 16 min. Eafterly. Our
latitude at noon on the 17th, was 40 deg. 8 min. North; and the
longitude 133 deg. 26 min. Weft.
The wind hauled gradually to theNorthward and Eaftward, and
by the 21 ft we might be faid to have a regular North Eaft trade:
our latitude at noon was 34 deg. 28 min. North; and the longitude
by lunar obfervation 136 deg. 20 min. Weft. The wind continued
pretty conftant at North-Eaft, aud the weather in general moderate
and fine.
On