raordinary it may at
first sight appear, hath never been known to fail them, so that it is
common, for them, when their voyage is a little longer than usual, to
fill all their water jars several times over.

[Footnote 2: In the original is inserted a chart for the explanation
of this track, which it is unnecessary to give here.--E.]

The length of time employed in this passage, so much beyond what
usually occurs in any other navigation, is perhaps in part to be
imputed to the indolence and unskilfulness of the Spanish sailors, and
to an unnecessary degree of caution and concern for so rich a vessel:
For it is said, that they never set their main-sail in the night, and
often lie by unnecessarily. And indeed the instructions given to their
captains (which I have seen) seem to have been drawn up by such as
were more apprehensive of too strong a gale, though favourable, than
of the inconveniences and mortality attending a lingering and tedious
voyage; for the captain is particularly ordered to make his passage in
the latitude of 30 deg. if possible, and to be extremely, careful to
stand no farther to the northward than is absolutely necessary for the
getting a westerly wind. This, according to our conceptions, appears
to be a very absurd restriction; since it can scarcely be doubted,
that in the higher latitudes the westerly winds are much steadier and
brisker than in the latitude of 30 deg.: So that the whole conduct of this
navigation seems liable to very great censure. If instead of steering
E.N.E. into the latitude of thirty odd degrees, they at first stood
N.E., or even still more northerly, into the latitude of 40 deg. or 45 deg.,
in part of which course the trade-winds would greatly assist them, I
doubt not they might considerably contract their voyage. And this is
not merely matter of speculation; for I am credibly informed, that
about the year 1721, a French ship, by pursuing this course, ran from
the coast of China to the valley of Vanderas on the coast of
Mexico, in less than fifty days: But it was said that this ship,
notwithstanding the shortness of her passage, suffered prodigiously
by the scurvy, so that she had only four or five of her crew left when
she arrived in America.

The Manilla ship having stood so far to the northward as to meet with
a westerly wind, stretches away nearly in the same latitude for the
coast of California: And when she has run into the longitude of 96 deg.
from Cape Espiritu, Sant