The island of Grigan appears to be about eight miles in width, seen from the north, and has the form of a dome. Its height, by a very unsatisfactory observation, was two thousand three hundred feet. It was my intention to stop and make it a magnetic station; but the weather appeared so thick as to threaten delay; and this I could ill afford, so I gave up the idea. There is said to be no other settlement than one small village, on the southwest side of Grigan, where a few individuals dwell, and I understood that they were headed by an American; its shores are almost perpendicular, and it has no coral reefs to form harbours; so that in this respect it is not so much favoured as the southern isles of the same group. The passage between Grigan and Assumption is free from dangers, and I am well satisfied that no shoal exists where Freycinet has laid down the Mangs, for we passed directly over the locality, and saw nothing of the kind. The Mangs were seen in their true position, to the northward of Assumption. The wind was light and variable. On the 1st of January, 1842, it changed to the southwest; with this change of wind we experienced a fall both of the thermometer and barometer, and excessive dampness; we had some lightning, and at midnight a violent squall with rain burst upon us, attended by a shift of wind to the northward and westward, which afterwards hauled to the northward and eastward. A slight current was felt setting to the eastward. We now steered for the most eastern position assigned to Copper's Island, as it will no doubt be recollected that we ran over its supposed position in west longitude, on the passage between San Francisco and Oahu, mentioned in the first part of this chapter. On the 4th, we ran over the position in longitude 131° 54' E., and latitude 20° 11' N. The Abajos Shoal of Arrowsmith has no existence; its position was passed over in broad daylight. On the 5th, we felt a current to the west of fifteen miles. The variations of the compass were now to the westward; much phosphorescence in the water; its temperature was 75°. The slight current continued until the 8th, when we made the islands of Sabtang and Batan on the starboard side, and the Richmond Rocks on the larboard, steering a westerly course through the Balingtang Straits. The weather being remarkably fine, we had excellent observations on transit bearing. The longitude of the west point of Sabtang is 121° 50' 30" E., the latitude is in 20° 18' N., instead of 20° 11' N. In the strait we had strong ripples, and occasionally felt the influence of the current, as we passed through them. We had now left the Pacific Ocean, and I could not but rejoice that we had all the results of our cruise up to this time quite safe. Sabtang and Batan are of broken surface, shooting up into many remarkable peaks, to the elevation of a thousand feet. These are both inhabited, and afford one or two anchorages. In the route from Oahu, we had experienced a set to the westward of four hundred miles by current; the greater part of this was felt before reaching the meridian of the Ladrone Islands. I now stood to the southward along the island of Luzon, to pass just clear of Cape Bolinao. On the 9th, we continued to have very strong winds. A very heavy sea arose, without apparent cause; the progressing motion of the waves in passing the ship was twenty-two miles per hour; their width, as near as it could be ascertained, was one hundred and forty yards. At sunset of the 10th, we were off Cape Capones, and numerous lights were seen on shore. The breeze failed us after midnight, and in the morning we found that we had drifted some thirty miles to the leeward of Cape Miravales, having Cape Capones due north, the current having set to the southward. As the breeze was adverse to our entrance into the bay, we continued beating until the afternoon, when the sea-breeze gave us the hope of reaching the anchorage; but it was so feeble that we made no way, and the night was again passed under sail. The next day, the 12th, was also passed in working up for the city of Manilla. For this delay I had something to console me in the arrival of the Flying-Fish, which vessel was discovered at 3h 30m P. M. beating in. Signal was made for her to join company. On arriving at the island of Corregidor, we were boarded by a government galley, pulling sixteen oars, and having a large brass twelvepound piece mounted on the bow. These vessels, I understood, are intended principally to pursue the pirates of Sooloo, who not unfrequently make excursions among the islands, attacking the villages, and carrying off the inhabitants as slaves. They are manned by the natives of this island, who are represented as active and expert sailors, although they are, generally, of small size. After dark, we anchored about eight miles from the city, in the middle of the broad and beautiful expanse of its bay, which is nearly circular, with an almost uniform depth of water. I learned, whilst at Manilla, that since the settlement of Europeans, the bay has filled up in places very considerably, from the wash of the hills. The lands in the vicinity are high and mountainous, and are clothed with the vegetation of the tropics. After dark, the many lights that were seen in the direction of the city gave the bay an animated appearance, and bespoke our being near a large and active population. Mr. Knox reported to me that after his separation, on the 30th of November, he stood for the position of Cornwallis Island, as laid down by Arrowsmith in longitude 169° 31′ W., latitude 16° 50' N., without seeing any indication of land. Twenty-two miles to the south-by-east of this position, he discovered a reef, which surrounded an extensive lagoon, extending northeast and southwest ten miles, and in the opposite direction five miles. On the northwest side of this reef there are two low islets: the one to the westward was covered with bushes, but no trees; the other was no more than a sand-bank. This reef lies deep. The longitude of the westernmost islet was found to be 169° 45′ 36′′ W., and latitude 16° 48' N. He then bore away for San Pedro of Arrowsmith, in longitude 179° 00′ W., and latitude 11° 17′ N., and on the 7th of December sailed over it and on its parallel forty miles both east and west, but saw no indications of land whatever. The Mulgrave Islands were steered for, and two small islands made on the 16th, in the position of longitude 172° 02′ 33′′ E., and latitude 5° 59′ 15′′ N., which corresponds with the chart of Arrowsmith. They are low islets, extending two miles from north to south, and one and a half from east to west. They are connected by a reef, which surrounds a lagoon. Natives were seen upon them, but no communication was had with them. Bapham's, a lagoon island, was made on the 17th: it was found to be correctly located; it is also inhabited. Hunter's Island was made the same evening, and was examined the next day it is one and three quarters of a mile long, north and south, and two-thirds of a mile east and west; it is elevated in the centre, and has no lagoon; its position was ascertained to be in longitude 169° 05′ 46′′ E., and latitude 5° 42′ N. Baring's Island was next passed in 168° 26' 24" E., latitude 5° 34′ 42" N. The current experienced off these islands was from fifteen to twenty-five miles easterly. It having been strongly enjoined upon Mr. Knox not to be behind the time designated for his arrival at Manilla, he found, on his reaching the equator, that but twenty-two days of his time remained: having already experienced light winds and calms, he saw that it would be impossible to range through the Caroline Group and visit Ascension and Strong's Islands; he therefore determined to haul again to the northward, and passed several of the groups in a higher latitude, On the 26th, he passed over the situation ascribed to Faroilip Island, in latitude 10° 45' N., longitude 146° 27' E., without any indications of land. He then sought Feis Island, whose position was crossed on the 27th, but saw no land. The eastern extremity of M'Kenzie's Group was made on the 29th, in latitude 10° 07' 53" N., longitude 139° 54' 58" E. To the northward and westward of it, a supposed shoal was passed over, but none was found. M'Kenzie's Group is of greater extent than is represented on the maps. It is composed of a great many islets, with passages between them, some of them into the lagoon, through one of which the schooner entered, with not less than seven fathoms water on the bar. This group is thickly inhabited, and some of the natives boarded the schooner. They resembled the Caroline Islanders, but had their teeth much discoloured, apparently from the use of the betel-nut. From them some fish and cocoa-nuts were procured. They were seen to be in possession of iron utensils, and appeared to have before had communication with vessels. Mr. Knox now steered for the Straits of Bernadino, and made. Cape Espiritu Santo, on the night of the 4th of January. Owing to the want of observations for two days before, he was in danger of being shipwrecked. On the 11th, he had passed through the straits, and anchored under Cape St. Jago, whence he got under way, and reached Manilla, as before stated. I now felt myself secure against farther detention, and hoped to expedite my duties, so as to reach Singapore in the time designated in my instructions. CHAPTER VIII. CONTENTS. ARRIVAL AT MANILLA-VISIT FROM THE CAPTAIN OF THE PORT-VIEW OF THE FISHING-BOATS |