the rain descends; these mats extend from one end of the ship to the other, and their lower edges rest on a large split bamboe, so that all the water which falls on the mats drain into the bamboe, and by this, as a trough, is conveyed into ajar; and this method of supplying their water, however accidental and extraordinary it may at first sight appear, hath never been known to fail them, so that it is common, for them, when their voyage is a little longer than usual, to fill all their water jars several times over.

[Footnote 2:  In the original is inserted a chart for the explanation of this track, which it is unnecessary to give here.—­E.]

The length of time employed in this passage, so much beyond what usually occurs in any other navigation, is perhaps in part to be imputed to the indolence and unskilfulness of the Spanish sailors, and to an unnecessary degree of caution and concern for so rich a vessel:  For it is said, that they never set their main-sail in the night, and often lie by unnecessarily.  And indeed the instructions given to their captains (which I have seen) seem to have been drawn up by such as were more apprehensive of too strong a gale, though favourable, than of the inconveniences and mortality attending a lingering and tedious voyage; for the captain is particularly ordered to make his passage in the latitude of 30 deg. if possible, and to be extremely, careful to stand no farther to the northward than is absolutely necessary for the getting a westerly wind.  This, according to our conceptions, appears to be a very absurd restriction; since it can scarcely be doubted, that in the higher latitudes the westerly winds are much steadier and brisker than in the latitude of 30 deg.:  So that the whole conduct of this navigation seems liable to very great censure.  If instead of steering E.N.E. into the latitude of thirty odd degrees, they at first stood N.E., or even still more northerly, into the latitude of 40 deg. or 45 deg., in part of which course the trade-winds would greatly assist them, I doubt not they might considerably contract their voyage.  And this is not merely matter of speculation; for I am credibly informed, that about the year 1721, a French ship, by pursuing this course, ran from the coast of China to the valley of Vanderas on the coast of Mexico, in less than fifty days:  But it was said that this ship, notwithstanding the shortness of her passage, suffered prodigiously by the scurvy, so that she had only four or five of her crew left when she arrived in America.

The Manilla ship having stood so far to the northward as to meet with a westerly wind, stretches away nearly in the same latitude for the coast of California:  And when she has run into the longitude of 96 deg. from Cape Espiritu, Santo, she generally meets with a plant floating on the sea, which, being called Porra by the Spaniards, is, I presume, a species of sea-leek.  On the sight of this plant they esteem themselves sufficiently near the Californian shore, and immediately stand to the southward; they rely so much on this circumstance, that on the first discovery of the plant the whole ship’s company chaunt a solemn Te Deum, esteeming the difficulties and hazards of their passage to be now at an end; and they constantly correct their longitude thereby, without ever coming within sight of land, till they draw near its southern extremity.