birth for the ship; and we soon perceived that a
proa came off the shore to meet the cutter, fully persuaded, as we
afterwards found, that we were the Manilla ship. As we saw the cutter
returning back with the proa in tow, we immediately sent the pinnace
to receive the proa and the prisoners, and to bring them on board,
that the cutter might proceed on her errand. The pinnace came back
with a Spaniard and four Indians, which were the people taken in the
proa. The Spaniard was immediately examined as to the produce
and circumstances of this island of Tinian, and his account of it
surpassed even our most sanguine hopes; for he informed us that it
was uninhabited, which, in our present defenceless condition, was an
advantage not to be despised, especially as it wanted but few of the
conveniences that could be expected in the most cultivated country;
for he assured us, that there was great plenty of very good water,
and that there were an incredible number of cattle, hogs, and poultry
running wild on the island, all of them excellent in their kind;
that the woods produced sweet and sour oranges, limes, lemons, and
cocoa-nuts in great plenty, besides a fruit peculiar to these islands
(called by Dampier, Bread-fruit); that from the quantity and goodness
of the provisions produced here, the Spaniards at Guam made use of it
as a store for supplying the garrison; that he himself was a serjeant
of that garrison, and was sent here with twenty-two Indians to jerk
beef, which he was to load for Guam on board a small bark of about
fifteen tun, which lay at anchor near the shore.

This account was received by us with inexpressible joy: Part of it
we were ourselves able to verify on the spot, as we were by this time
near enough to discover several numerous herds of cattle feeding in
different places of the island; and we did not any ways doubt the rest
of his relation, as the appearance of the shore prejudiced us greatly
in its favour, and made us hope, that not only our necessities might
be there fully relieved, and our diseased recovered, but that, amidst
those pleasing scenes which were then in view, we might procure
ourselves some amusement and relaxation, after the numerous fatigues
we had undergone: For the prospect of the country did by no means
resemble that of an uninhabited and uncultivated place, but had
much more the air of a magnificent plantation, where large lawns and
stately woods had been laid out together with great