them a very imperfect view.  Captain Sever named it Penrhyn’s Island; it is situated in 9 deg.. 10’. south latitude, and 202 deg.. 15’. east longitude.  In the afternoon of the 20th, the Captain and some others imagining they saw land, and the sun setting in a fog-bank, which prevented them ascertaining the reality, they shortened sail, and lay by for the night; but at five o’clock the next morning no land being in sight, they made sail and stood to the north-west by west, with a fine breeze at north-east.  In the evening of the 23d, being near the situation of an island and reef, as laid down in Lord Anson’s chart, they brought to for the night.  A number of ganets and other birds were flying about the next day, but no land appeared in sight:  their latitude at noon was 9 deg. 30’ north, and 179 deg. 18’ east longitude.

15 September 1788

Nothing occured worthy of note till the 15th of September, when about noon they saw the island of Saypan, bearing west half north, twelve leagues distant.  The next day at noon the south end of Tinian was about four leagues distant:  in the afternoon the small boat was hoisted out, and Mr. Anstis went in her to sound a small bay round the south point of Saypan; he returned at seven o’clock, having found from ten to twenty fathoms water about a mile off shore, but the ground hard.  The next morning, Mr. Anstis went on shore in the small boat to endeavour to procure a bullock, great numbers of which were seen grazing on the island Tinian.  At six in the afternoon, they stood round the south point of Tinian, but finding they could not fetch into the road, they brought to for the night.  In the evening, Mr. Anstis returned with the best part of a young bullock.  The next morning at day light, they made sail and stood in for the road, and at nine o’clock came to anchor in eighteen fathoms, over a bottom of coral, about a mile and an half distant from shore.  Soon after they anchored, a party were sent on shore to hunt.

25 September 1788-29 September 1788

From this to the 25th, they had light winds varying from south to east, with frequent showers over the land, and the flies so very troublesome that they found Captain Byron’s account of them perfectly just.  On coming to an anchor, they observed a buoy a little to the southward, with a slip buoy to it, they swept for the anchor, weighed it, and found it belonged to the Charlotte (Gilbert, master) one of the ships from Port Jackson bound to China; there were two-thirds of a cable to it.  The party on shore also found some spars, apparently erected for a tent, and three water casks, one of which was full:  it is most likely the Charlotte was blown out of the road, and could not regain her station again.  Observing that their anchor was foul, on the 25th they hove it up to clear, and let it go again; presently afterwards, finding the ship adrift, they sounded, and had twenty-five fathoms, but as she was at the edge of the bank, they hove the anchor up, and made