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284 A V O Y A G E T O T H E
1787. At the Weil: end of Aguigan is a very fmall ifland, or rather'
-ptem er. a large rock, not more than a cable’s length from it.
According to our obfervations, Tinian is fituated in 15 deg.
North latitudes- and 2.14 deg. 30 min. Weft longitude-
Thefe iflands are remarkably free from rocks, or lhoals, lb that
veffels may fafely run by them in the night-time with moderate
weather. Tinian is far the largeft, and trends nearly from South-
Eaft to North-Weft.. Saypan feems the next in point of extent,
but lying the fartheft from our courfe, I can give-thee very, little
idea of it. Aguigan does not appear, to be more than' fix miles
long, and is very narrow. They are all tolerably level except the
peak on Saypan before mentioned.
The author o f Anfon’s Voyage-round the World, gives a moff
enchanting defcription of Tinian, not only from its beautiful
appearance, but from the plenty and variety of refreftimen.ts.it
affords. ’Tis poflib'le that this account may be exaggerated, as
thofe navigators were in the greateft diftrefs for want of refrefh-
ments, and' falling in with an ifland' .where all thek neceflities
were plentifully fupplied, the place would appear to them little
lefs. than a terreftrial paradife. However, be this as -it. may, we,
thank God, had no occafion to touch here,, having upwards, of
thirty live hogs on board, and all our people in high health and-
fpkits, with eveEy profpect of a fpeedy, paffage to China.
At fix in the afternoon, the center of, Aguigan bore.. North,.
83 deg. Eaft, about five leagues diftant; and the weather being
fine, we flood on during the night, fleering. Weft and by North.
From
From this to the 31 ft we had; little variety. A conftant Eafterly November,
trade caufed a heavy fwell to fet in from Eaft North Eaft, and we < r—>
had frequent fqualls with heavy rain. On the 31ft at noon, our
latitude was 19 deg. 52 min., and the longitude, by lunar ob-
fervation, 232 deg. The variation of the compafs is here little
or nothing.
On the uft of November we had. a, moderate breeze and fine
weather. Our latitude at. noon was .20 deg. 18 min. and the
longitude 233 deg. 12 min. Weft. The variation o f the compafs
about 1 deg. Wejierly.
The weather growing fqually towards tjie evening, we double-
reefed the topfails, and reefed the mainfail: a very heavy fwell
fet in from the Northward, and we had much lightning all round
the compafs. . In the night, the wind increafed to a. ftrong gale,
which continued with very little intermiflion during the whole, of
the 2d. Our obfervation at noon gave 21 deg. 2 mm. latitude.
Being now pretty near the latitude .of the Bafliee Iflands, at eight
o’clock we hauled our wind to the Eaftward, not thinking it pru-
. dent to -run in the night: At midnight we-wore to the North
North Weft, and at day-light in the'morning of the id, the weather
being pretty moderate, , we made fail and bore up to theWeftwa rd.
The latitude at noon was 21 deg. 5 min. North; and the longitude
237 deg.’ 24 min. Weft., During the afternoon we had a ftrong
Eafterly breeze. Some of our people imagined they faw land to-
, wards-North Weft, but this, was very, doubtful. At nine in the
’ evening we fhortened fail and hauled our wind to the Northward,
wearing occafion ally .during-the night. At daylight m the, morn-
. ing of the 4th, we made, fail and bore up to the Weftward. Tire
r 4.;:. forenoon
1,