he had discovered, having put us on our
guard, we chose to be convinced, by our own observations, before we
weighed; and, on trying the tide, we found a strong under-tow, which
obliged us to keep fast till eleven o'clock. From these circumstances, it
appears that the tide had run down twelve hours.

During the afternoon, we kept standing on our tacks, between the island of
Potoe, and the Grand Ladrone, having passed to the eastward of the former.
At nine o'clock, the tide beginning to ebb, we again came to anchor in six
fathoms water; the town of Macao bearing N.W., three leagues distant; and
the island of Potoe, S. 1/2 W., two leagues distant. This island lies two
leagues to the N.N.W.. of the island marked Z in Mr Dalrymple's chart,
which we, at first, took to be part of the Grand Ladrone. It is small and
rocky; and, off the west end, there is said to be foul ground, though we
passed near it without perceiving any.

In the forenoon of the 2d, one of the Chinese contractors, who are called
_compradors_, went on board the Resolution, and sold to Captain Gore two
hundred pounds weight of beef, together with a considerable quantity of
greens, oranges, and eggs. A proportionable share of these articles was
sent to the Discovery; and an agreement made with the man to furnish us
with a daily supply, for which, however, he insisted on being paid before-
hand.

Our pilot, pretending he could carry the ships no farther, Captain Gore was
obliged to discharge him, and we were left to our own guidance.

At two in the afternoon, the tide flowing, we weighed, and worked to
windward; and at seven, anchored in three and a half fathoms of water,
Macao bearing W., three miles-distant. This situation was, indeed, very
ineligible, being exposed to the N.E., and having shoal water, not more
than two fathoms and a half deep, to leeward; but as no nautical
description is given, in Lord Anson's voyage, of the harbour in which the
Centurion anchored, and Mr Dalrymple's general map, which was the only one
on board, was on too small a scale to serve for our direction, the ships
were obliged to remain there all night.

In the evening, Captain Gore sent me on shore to visit the Portugueze
governor, and to request his assistance in procuring refreshments for our
crews, which he thought might be done on more reasonable terms than the
_comprador_ would undertake to furnish them. At the same time, I took a
list of the naval stores, of which both