The 24th, We Had Sight Of A Great Island To The N. About Seven Leagues Off; Having A High Hill On Its Southern End, Being The Island Formerly Mentioned As About Fifteen Leagues W. From Saddle Island.

From thence, till the evening of the 26th, our course was S. by W. twenty-four leagues, the depths increasing from nineteen to thirty-six f. on ooze. We had here a small round island S.W. by N. two leagues off, nearly in latitude 20 deg.

20' N.[282] This island has four small islands on its S.W. side, but all of them considerably lower, for we saw this from the distance of at least ten leagues, rising in the shape of a Chinese hat. From hence, till noon of the 27th, our course was E. by N. two-thirds N. twelve leagues. This morning at two o'clock the wind veered round to S.S.E. and at noon was due S. From noon of the 27th, to noon of the 28th, we stood E.N.E. eighteen leagues, and had then almost forty-one f. on ooze. Till noon of the 29th, we made other eighteen leagues E.N.E. when we were in 21 deg. 10' N. To the 30th, at noon, other eighteen leagues E.N.E. To noon of 1st July, our course was E.N.E. 1/2 N. twenty-two leagues, our latitude being then 22 deg. 10' N. Here, from the topmast-head we saw land N.N.W. 1/2 N. From noon this day, till seven p.m. we sailed N.E. by N. six leagues. At six this evening we saw three Chinese fishing-boats.

[Footnote 282: There must be a material error here, as the latitude in the text would carry us back to the peninsula to the north of Hainan, more than two degrees of longitude backwards. Indeed, the text seems corrupted in many respects, even the bearings being extremely suspicious. - E.]

This evening the wind came up at E.S.E. with which we stood to the southwards; and having sprung our main topmast only a little before, we could only bear a course and bonnet, and therefore made our way no better than S.W. From noon of the 2d, till eight p.m. our way was S. four leagues. Till noon of the 3d, we sailed N.N.W. 1/4 W. seven leagues. We here saw land twelve leagues off, from N. to N.E. rising in certain hummocks, which land I estimated to be nearly in 22 deg. 45' N. On the 8th, I had an observation of the Scorpion's Heart, by which I made our latitude 22 deg. 35' N. Next day, at noon, on observation of the sun gave the latitude 23 deg. 6' N. At this time we had sight of the high land of Logosse, eleven leagues off, N.W. by N.[283] This morning we saw eight or more fishing boats, and came within hail of one, but could not persuade the people to come on board.

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