We pursued the same track as far as the Philippine Islands, but on the morning of the third day our companion had disappeared, leaving us in ignorance whether she had out-sailed us or we her.  We were once more alone on the endless waste of waters.

On the 23rd of May, we approached very near to the low island of Penchyn.  A dozen or two of the natives were desirous of honouring us with a visit, and pulled stoutly in six canoes towards our ship, but we sailed so fast that they were soon left a long way behind.  Several of the sailors affirmed, that these were specimens of real savages, and that we might reckon ourselves fortunate in having escaped their visit.  The captain, too, appeared to share this opinion, and I was the only person who regretted not having formed a more intimate acquaintance with them.

28th May.  For some days we had been fortunate enough to be visited, from time to time, with violent showers; a most remarkable thing for the time of year in this climate, where the rainy season commences in January and lasts for three months, the sky for the remaining nine being generally cloudless.  This present exception was the more welcome from our being just on the Line, where we should otherwise have suffered much from the heat.  The thermometer stood at only 81 degrees in the shade, and 97 degrees in the sun.

Today at noon we crossed the Line, and were once more in the northern hemisphere.  A Tahitian sucking-pig was killed and consumed in honour of our successful passage, and our native hemisphere toasted in real hock.

On the 4th of June, under 8 degrees North latitude, we beheld again, for the first time, the lovely polar star.

On the 17th of June, we passed so near to Saypan, one of the largest of the Ladrone Islands, that we could make out the mountains very distinctly.  The Ladrone and Marianne Islands are situated between the 13 and 21 degrees North latitude, and the 145 and 146 degrees East longitude.

On the 1st of July we again saw land:  this time it was the coast of Lucovia, or Luzon, the largest of the Philippines, and lying between the 18 and 19 degrees North latitude, and the 125 and 119 degrees East longitude.  The port of Manilla is situated on the southern coast of the island.

In the course of the day we passed the island of Babuan, and several detached rocks, rising, colossus like, from the sea.  Four of them were pretty close together, and formed a picturesque group.  Some time afterwards we saw two more.

In the night of the 1st-2nd of July, we reached the western point of Luzon, and entered on the dangerous Chinese Sea.  I was heartily glad at last to bid adieu to the Pacific Ocean, for a voyage on it is one of the most monotonous things that can be imagined.  The appearance of another ship is a rare occurrence; and the water is so calm that it resembles a stream.  Very frequently I used to start up from my desk, thinking that I was in some diminutive room ashore; and my mistake was the more natural, as we had three horses, a dog, several pigs, hens, geese, and a canary bird on board, all respectively neighing, barking, grunting, cackling, and singing, as if they were in a farm-yard.