When the Centurion left the port of Macao, she stood for some days to the westward; and, on the first of May, they saw part of the island of Formosa; and, standing thence to the southward, they, on the 4th of May, were in the latitude of the Bashee islands, as laid down by Dampier; but they suspected his account of inaccuracy, as they found that he had been considerably mistaken in the latitude of the south end of Formosa:  For this reason they kept a good look-out, and about seven in the evening discovered from the mast-head five small islands, which were judged to be the Bashees, and they had afterwards a sight of Bottle Tobago Xima.  By this means they had an opportunity of correcting the position of the Bashee islands, which had been hitherto laid down twenty-five leagues too far to the westward:  For, by their observations, they esteemed the middle of these islands to be in 21 deg. 4’ north, and to bear from Botel Tobago Xima S.S.E. twenty leagues distant, that island itself being in 21 deg. 57’ north.[1]

[Footnote 1:  The Bashee Islands were so called by Dampier from the name of a liquor used by the natives.  Four of them are inhabited, and are tolerably fertile, producing sugar canes, pine apples, plantaines, potatoes, &c. and having some hogs and goats.  The inhabitants, who are reckoned a harmless and peaceable race, are said to resemble the Japanese, and probably are derived from them.  The unfortunate Peyreuse visited one of the most northerly of these islands, and found its latitude to be 21 deg. 9’ 13” N. Arrowsmith’s map lays them down very particularly.  The passage betwixt Formosa and these islands is held very dangerous on account of the rock called Vele Rete, the precise situation of which is matter of discord among the navigators.  Captain Krusenstern went through this passage during the night, and that a stormy one too, with perfect safety, keeping the middle of the channel, and having men continually on the look-out.  He seems to prefer the position of Vele Rete and its reef of rocks, (of about two miles circuit,) as given by Broughton, according to whose observations the latitude is 21 deg. 43’ 24”, and the longitude 239 deg. 15’.—­E.]

After getting a sight of the Bashee islands, they stood between the S. and S.W. for Cape Espiritu Santo; and, the 20th of May at noon, they first discovered that cape, which about four o’clock they brought to bear S.S.W. about eleven leagues distant.  It appeared to be of a moderate height, with several round hummocks on it.  As it was known that there were centinels placed upon this cape to make signals to the Acapulco ship, when she first falls in with the land, the commodore immediately tacked, and ordered the top-gallant sails to be taken in, to prevent being discovered; and, this being the station in which it was resolved to cruise for the galleons, they kept the cape between the south and the west, and endeavoured to confine themselves between the latitude of 12 deg. 50’, and 13 deg. 5’, the cape itself lying, by their observations, in 12 deg. 40’ north, and 4 deg. of east longitude from Botel Tobago Xima.