On the 19th, we perceived a great ripling on the water, which appeared to be a strong current, and we afterwards found it had set the vessel considerably to the westward. At noon, the north-west point of Manere or Batachina bore east-north-east nine leagues distant; its latitude is 0° 16' south, and the longitude 126° 41' east. At noon on the 20th, an island a head, which we took to be Pulo Oubi, bore east half south about twelve leagues distant, and Stemo Sulla, south-south-west thirteen leagues: the latitude was 1° 17' south, and the longitude 126° 22' east. Hitherto, we had found the currents set us to the westward; but in the morning of the 21st, a strong ripling of a current set the vessel considerably to the east-south-east, which may easily be accounted for: the passage between New Guinea and Aigeu was quite open, and bore from us south-east, and I think that the current we now felt is an out-set; and as we had experienced a southerly current ever since we made the island of Morotia, it may be presumed that there is an indraught between the Celebes and Gilolo; and an out-set between Gilolo, New Guinea, and Aigeu, which is called "Pitt's Passage."
In the afternoon, the boat was hoisted out in order to try the current, when it was found to set east by south, at the rate of a mile and an half an hour; however, the current among these islands is by no means certain, as we found, on the 22d, a strong current or tide setting to the north-west. A great number of very large whales were seen, which moved exceeding slow, and came very near the vessel. At noon, the center of Burro bore south, and the south point of Sulla Bessi, north 76° west. Burro is a very high island, and may be seen at the distance of twenty leagues with great ease.
As the following latitudes and longitudes were taken with great exactness, they perhaps may not be unacceptable.
South latitude. East longitude.
° ' ° '
East point of Burro 3 7 126 38
West point of ditto 3 4 125 41
North-east point of Sulla Mangol 2 0 126 3
South point of Sulla Bessi 2 29 125 57
In the afternoon of the 23d, being clear of the south point of Burro, we found a strong south-east trade, with which we steered south-south-west. We passed a great quantity of drift wood, and some very large trees with both roots and branches to them, some of which were so large as to be taken for vessels.
In the morning of the 25th, we saw two small islands bearing south-east about six miles distant; we imagined them to be the northernmost of the small islands, called Touchaeilly, in the charts: soon afterwards, we saw land bearing south-west, which we took to be Bouton, but we soon perceived it to be three islands lying nearly north and south. At this time, our longitude, by the time-keeper, was 123° 39' east, and the latitude, by two altitudes, was 5° 36' south.
Concluding the islands we saw in the morning were those of St. Matthew's, and the others Touchaeilly, we bore up in order to run between the northernmost and middle of three islands in sight. In our run from Burro to St. Matthew's Island, we found a strong current setting to the south-east. St. Matthew's Islands are situated in 5° 23' south latitude, and 123° 51' east longitude. With a moderate breeze from the south-east, we steered west-south-west between the Toucaheilly Islands; and at noon on the 26th, we passed a sandy key, which had a tuft of green bushes on its north end, and its south end runs off in a long spit for three or four miles, on which the sea breaks very high. These islands are covered with wood, and well cultivated.
At four o'clock in the afternoon we hove to, and soon afterwards a small proa came alongside loaded with cocoa-nuts, which we purchased. The people in this canoe gave us to understand, that the island on our starboard hand was called Combado, and that on the larboard Toucambaso. At half past four, we made sail, and soon afterwards, a man, who was stationed at the mast-head, said he saw a shoal a-head of the vessel; on this we looked out, and saw a reef about six miles distant, extending from the west-north-west as far as the eye could reach in a south-east direction: on this, we hauled the wind and lay under Combado during the night.
The next morning, we made sail and steered west-north-west, looking out for the shoal and running along its eastern side about four miles distant. This reef is very large, and its eastern side is bound with rugged rocks, and when the water is smooth there is no breaker on it. At four in the afternoon, we rounded the shoal at two miles distance, and steered for the south end of Bouton, which we passed early the next morning, and soon afterwards passed the streights, steering west half north. When you are to the eastward of Camborra, the entrance of the streights of Bouton may be known by three small islands which lie off the east point that forms the streights, one of which is large, and the other two are small: off the large one lie several rocks, but at no great distance. The only chart we had on board, which took any notice of these islands and the shoal, was one of Hamilton Moore's, which we found tolerably correct, except in some instances where the islands are misplaced, as St. Matthew's Islands, Toucambessis, the south end of Bouton and Kercolang, with some other trifling differences; however, upon the whole, it may be called a good chart.
At day-light, the island of Salayer bore from south 40° west to north 80° east, and the entrance of the streights north 70° west. On entering the streights, we found a very strong ripling of the sea, which we were apprehensive were overfalls; but we found it was a strong current setting to the westward. At noon, being through the streights, we hauled up west by south. The best passage through these streights is between the two small islands, the southernmost of which lies close to Salayer. The island of Salayer appears to be well inhabited, and cultivated to advantage, as each piece of ground was fenced in, and the houses appeared to be very good ones.