l force, so that it would be impossible for the stoutest
best-manned ship to get in. And this coast being removed between
four and five hundred leagues farther, we, in our languishing
circumstances, could expect no other than to be destroyed by the
scurvy, long before the most favourable gale could carry us to such a
distance: For our deaths were now extremely alarming, no day passing
in which we did not bury eight or ten, and sometimes twelve of our
men; and those, who had hitherto continued healthy, began to fall
down apace. Indeed we made the use we could of the present calm, by
employing our carpenters in searching after the leak, which was now
considerable, notwithstanding the little wind we had: The carpenters
at length discovered it to be in the gunner's fore store-room, where
the water rushed in under the breast-hook, on each side of the stein;
but though they found where it was, they agreed that it was impossible
to stop it, till we should get into port, and till they could come at
it on the outside: However, they did the best they could within board,
and were fortunate enough to reduce it, which was a considerable
relief to us.

We had hitherto considered the calm which succeeded the storm, and
which continued for some days, as a very great misfortune; since the
currents were driving us to the northward of our parallel, and we
thereby risqued the missing of the Ladrones, which we now conceived
ourselves to be very near. But when a gale sprung up, our condition
was still worse; for it blew from the S.W. and consequently was
directly opposed to the course we wanted to steer: And though it
soon veered to the N.E. yet this served only to tantalize us, for it
returned back again in a very short time to its old quarter. However,
on the 22d of August we had the satisfaction to find that the
current was shifted; and had set us to the southward: And the 23d, at
day-break, we were cheered with the discovery of two islands in the
western board: This gave us all great joy, and raised our drooping
spirits; for before this an universal dejection had seized us, and
we almost despaired of ever seeing land again: The nearest of these
islands we afterwards found to be Anatacan; we judged it to be full
fifteen leagues from us, and it seemed to be high land, though of
an indifferent length: The other was the island of Serigan; and had
rather the appearance of a high rock, than a place we could hope to
anchor at. We were extremel