From some of the above circumstances it is undeniably evident that these people have had intercourse with Europeans, and probably with the Spaniards; and from the aversion which they expressed to the English, it seems not an unfair conjecture that this island might perhaps be Artingall, where our countrymen had distinguished themselves five years before by the assistance they gave to a hostile state*:  but if so, their knowledge of the Spaniards must have been posterior to the departure of the English, who from the narrative must have been the first Europeans seen there.  Had the adventures of the Antelope’s crew been then made known to the world, Lieutenant Shortland would with joy have presented himself before the beneficent Abba Thulle; and probably by obtaining a stock of fresh provisions and vegetables might have preserved the lives of many of his companions, and prevented the sufferings of the rest; but he was not fortunate enough to know that so propitious a retreat was within so small a distance.

[* It might, perhaps, be thought by some readers, that if this had been the case they would now have endeavoured to take revenge, but we find from Captain Wilson’s narrative, that all animosity was dropped as soon as peace had been established with the inhabitants of Pelew.  See that work, Chap. xvi. p. 192.]

23 September 1788

His people were doomed to find their distresses augmented instead of diminished.  Towards the latter end of September, agues and intermittent fevers began to prevail among them; the proportion of those disabled by the scurvy was constantly great, some deaths had happened, and the few men who still had health enough to carry them with difficulty through the necessary duty, were subject to the swelling of the legs, and harrassed by violent pains in the breast.  Hitherto the Friendship had been much more happily circumstanced.  On the 23d of September she was spoken to, and had then only one man disabled by the scurvy:  but this advantage was of short duration, and the more rapid increase of the malady made a fatal compensation for the greater delay of its commencement.

27 September 1788-19 October 1788

On the 27th of September, about noon, the Alexander made the land of Mindanao.  It bore from west by north to north-west by west, distant fourteen leagues.  Part of it was remarkably high, and at this distance appeared like a separate island, but on a nearer approach was found to be all connected.  On the 30th, about four in the afternoon, Hummock Island bore west by south, half south, distant six or seven leagues.  In all this sea a strong current constantly set the ship considerably to the south of her reckoning.  On the third of October the wind fell suddenly, and the Alexander being in great danger of driving with the current upon the shore of Karkalang or Sanguir Island, was obliged to drop her anchor, which happily brought her up in forty fathoms water.  In the