The Governour lives on the N. side of the Island, where there’s a small Village, and a Convent, being the chief Habitation of the Spaniards. They marry with the Natives, and had not above four Spanish Women on the Island. The Indians are tall and strong, of a dark olive Colour, go all naked, except a Clout about their Posteriors, and the Women have little Petticoats. The Men are dextrous at flinging of Stones, which they make of Clay, of an oval Form, burning them, till as hard as Marble, and are so good Marks-men, that the Spaniards say, they seldom miss hitting any Mark, and throw it with such a Force, as to kill a Man at a considerable Distance. I heard of no other Weapons that they used, but a Stick or Lance made of the heaviest Wood in the Island.
At the Island of Guam.
The Governour presented us with one of their flying Prows, which I shall describe here because of the Odness of it. The Spaniards told me ’twould run 20 Leagues per Hour, which I think too large; but by what I saw, I verily believe, they may run 20 Miles or more in the Time, for when they viewed our Ships, they passed by us like a Bird flying. These Prows are about 30 Foot long, not above 2 broad, and about 3 deep; they have but one Mast which stands in the Middle, with a Mat Sail, made in the Form of a Ship’s Mizen. The Yard is slung in the Middle, and a Man sits at each End with a Paddle to steer her, so that when they go about, they don’t turn the Boat as we do to bring the Wind on the other side, but only change the Sail, so that the Tack and Sheet of the Sail are used alike, and the Boat’s Head and Stern are the same, only they change them, as Occasion requires, to sail either Way; for they are so narrow that they could not bear any Sail, were it not for Booms, that run out from the Windward Side, fasten’d to a large Log shap’d like a Boat, and near half as long, which becomes contiguous to the Boat. On these Booms a Stage is made above the Water, on a Level with the Side of the Boat, upon which they carry Goods or Passengers. The greatest inconveniency in sailing these Boats is before the Wind, for by the Out-layer, which is built out on one Side, if the Wind presses any thing heavy on the contrary Side, the Boat is over-set, which often happens; having brought one of these Boats to London, it might be worth fitting up to put in the Canal in St. James’s Park for a Curiosity, since we have none like it in this Part of the World.
As soon as the Boat return’d from landing Senior Figuro, we put under Sail, having a fine Breeze of Wind at E.N.E. We had generally fair Weather here in the Day Time, and Showers commonly in the Night, but very sultry. The Wind always off Shoar betwixt the E. and N.E. Our Decks are filled with Cattle and Provender.
A Table of Runs.
According to Promise, I have here inserted my Run from California to Guam.
A Table of each Days Run between Cape St. Lucas in California, and the Island of Guam.
At 3 a Clock in the Afternoon the Island of Guam bore W. by S. distant 10 Leagues.
From the Island of Guam towards Ternate.