two in the afternoon. They
then bore from us W.N.W. three miles distant, the south end of Formosa
at the same time bearing N. by W. 1/2 W. about five leagues distant.
To give these rocks a good birth, we immediately haled up S. by W.
and so left them between us and the land. Indeed we had reason to be
careful of them; for though they appeared as high out of the water as
a ship's hull, yet they are environed with breakers on all sides, and
there is a shoal stretching from them at least a mile and a half to
the southward, whence they may be truly called dangerous. The course
from Botel Tobago Xima to these rocks is S.W. by W. and the distance
about twelve or thirteen leagues: And the south end of Formosa, off
which they lie, is in the latitude of 21 deg. 50' north, and in 23 deg. 50'
west longitude from Tinian, according to our most approved reckonings,
though by some of our accounts above a degree more.

While we were passing by these rocks of Vele Rete, there was an outcry
of fire on the fore-castle; this occasioned a general alarm, and the
whole crew instantly flocked together in the utmost confusion, so that
the officers found it difficult for some time to appease the uproar:
But having at last reduced the people to order, it was perceived that
the fire proceeded from the furnace; and, pulling down the brick-work,
it was extinguished with great facility, for it had taken its rise
from the bricks, which, being over-heated, had begun to communicate
the fire to the adjacent wood-work. In the evening we were surprised
with a view of what we at first sight conceived to have been breakers,
but, on a stricter examination, we found them to be only a great
number of fires on the island of Formosa. These, we imagined, were,
intended by the inhabitants of that island as signals for us to touch
there, but that suited not our views, we being impatient to reach the
port of Macao as soon as possible. From Formosa we steered W.N.W. and
sometimes still more northerly, proposing to fall in with, the coast
of China, to the eastward of Pedro Blanco; for the rock so called is
usually esteemed an excellent direction for ships bound to Macao. We
continued this course till the following night, and then frequently
brought to, to try if we were in soundings: But it was the 5th of
November, at nine in the morning, before we struck ground, and then,
we had forty-two fathom, and a bottom of grey sand mixed with shells.
When we had got about twent