JTO M. DE GUIGNEs’ OBSERVATIONS ON

The 18th, by four in the afternoon, we were abreaft of Pulo Aor, the current run-ning eaft.

The 22d we had fight of Pulo Condor, and on the 30th of Pulo Luban. On thenight of this laft day we anchored under Point Mirabel, having had the wind from ourleaving the Straits of Sunda fouth-eaft, fouth, fouth-fouth-weft, fouth-weft, fouth, weft,and fouth-weft.

The 1 ft of October we hoifted fail at five in the morning, and pafled between theMonja (the Nun ) and the ifland of the Corregidor. La Monja is an infulated rockwhich has deep water very clofe to it. The ifland of the Corregidor, in front of theentrance of the bay of Manila , leaves but two paflfages into the bay, one on the north,the other on the fouth. On this ifland the Spaniards have conftrufted land-marks, andin the neighbourhood keep fome guard-boats, one of which was difpatched to vifit ourveflel.

Making for the bay, we for fome time kept to larboard to avoid the fhoal of St.Nicholas ; the fea ran high, but was placid from the inftant we tacked to ftarboardto reach the port of Cavite. On entering, a fort is perceived on the point: this muftnot be approached too near, as the bottom rifes, and we, for want of the precautionrecommended on palling the fort, for an inftant grounded.

As foon as we had anchored, the captain landed in order to make his declarationand requeft a fearch, as previous to this formality no one is allowed to quit theIhip.

After fix weeks ftay at Manila , we quitted that city on the 15th of November, thewind blowing north-eaft.

During the monfoon of the north and north-eaft winds, in failing for China , it isneceflary to coaft along Manila under favour of the land breeze, that from the eaft,which conftantly blows at night; as in the day the north, north-north-weft, or north-weft winds, regularly prevail. It is likewife requifite that attention be paid not to keepat greater diftance from the coaft than a league, or at moft two, as farther out thecurrents have a north-weft direftion, whereas within thefe limits their courfe isnorth.

From Point Capones, towards and as far as Boulinao, the coaft muft not be nearedtoo clofely, that the lhallows may be avoided, but thence as far as Cape Bojador, a veflelmay keep in lhore with fafety : the currents in the firft courfe run fometimes towardsthe fouth, and at others northward, but in the fecond conftantly towards the north.

Scarcely had we doubled Cape Bojador before we experienced a very heavy fwell,and had a violent gale from the north-eaft. We then fleered north by weft, in orderto pafs to leeward of the bank de la Plata, in latitude twenty degrees fifty-five minutesnorth.

The 26th we made the coaft of China , and Pedra Blanca, an infulated whiterock in the middle of the fea, fituate, according to Sir Erafmus Gower, in latitudetwenty-two degrees nineteen minutes north, longitude eaft of Paris one hundred andtwelve degrees thirty-feven minutes*. Mr. Dalrymple, in his chart of the coaft ofChina , marks this rock as fomewhat more towards the eaft.

On the 27th of November we anchored in Macao roads, the wind at firft blowinghard from the north: it at length gradually abated and permitted our weighing, andreaching Canton. I remained in this city until the 28th January 1797a when I embarked

* One hundred and fourteen degrees thirty-feven minutes eaft of Greenwich.

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