ngitude 136 deg.50'E. we found the ship two-and-twenty miles to
the southward of her account, which must have been the effect of a
strong current in that direction. The variation here was 5 deg.10'E. and for
some time we found it regularly decreasing, so that on the 19th, being
in latitude 21 deg.10'N. longitude 124 deg.17'E. the needle pointed due north.

On the 18th, we had found the ship eighteen miles to the northward of
her account, and saw several land-birds about the ship, which appeared
to be very much tired: We caught one as it was resting upon the booms,
and found it very remarkable. It was about as big as a goose, and all
over as white as snow, except the legs and beak which were black; the
beak was curved, and of so great a length and thickness, that it is not
easy to conceive now the muscles of the neck, which was about a foot
long, and as small as that of a crane, could support it. We kept it
about four months upon biscuit and water, but it then died, apparently
for want of nourishment, being almost as light as a bladder. It was very
different from every species of the toucan that is represented by
Edwards, and I believe has never been described. These birds appeared to
have been blown off some island to the northward of us, that is not laid
down in the charts.

The needle continued to point due north till the 22d, when, at six
o'clock in the morning, Grafton's Island, the northermost of the Bashee
Islands, bore south, distant six leagues. As I had designed to touch at
these islands, I stood for that in sight; but as the navigation from
hence to the strait of Banca is very dangerous, and we had now both a
fine morning and a fine gale, I thought it best to proceed on our way,
and therefore steered westward again. The principal of these islands are
five in number, and by a good observation Grafton's Island lies in
latitude 21 deg.8'N. longitude 118 deg.14'E. The variation of the compass was
now 1 deg. 20'W.

On the 24th, being in latitude 16 deg.59'N. longitude 115 deg. 1'E. we kept a
good look-out for the Triangles, which lie without the north end of the
Prasil, and form a most dangerous shoal.[46] On the 30th we saw several
trees and large bamboos floating about the ship, and upon sounding had
three-and-twenty fathom, with dark brown sand, and small pieces of
shells. Our latitude was now 7 deg.17'N. longitude 104 deg.21'E, the variation
was 30 deg.W. The next day we found the ship thirteen miles to the no