In the evening, we discovered from the mast-head another island, to the southward of us: the east end of it seemed to rise in a peak, and had the appearance of a sail, but we did not go near enough to see any thing of it from the deck. I suppose its latitude to be about 2° 50'N., and its longitude, east of London, about 136° 1° E.

We continued to have a current to the northward, till Monday the 5th of October, when, being in latitude 4° 30'N. I found it southerly, and very strong. I had, among other deficiencies and misfortunes, no small boat on board, so that I could not try these currents, which I had a great desire to do; but I am of opinion, that when the current set southward it inclined to the east, and that when it set northward it inclined to the west.

On Monday the 12th, we discovered a small island with trees upon, it, though scarcely bigger than a rock, and I called it CURRENT ISLAND. It lies in latitude 4° 40'N., longitude 14° 2° W. of Queen Charlotte's Fore-land. The next day, we discovered two other small islands, which I called SAINT ANDREW' S ISLAND: they lie in latitude 5° 18'N., longitude 14° 4° W. of Queen Charlotte's Fore-land. I called the small island Current island, because we had here a southerly current so strong that it set us from twenty-four to thirty miles southward every day, besides the difference it might make in our longitude. The wind was now variable, blowing by turns from every point in the compass, with much rain, and hard squalls. On Tuesday the 20th, being in latitude 8° N. it blew with such violence that we were obliged to lie to sixty-four hours. This gale, which made a very great sea, I supposed to be the shifting of the monsoon, and notwithstanding the southerly current, it drove us, while we lay to, as far as nine degrees northward.

Voyaging Accounts