In the afternoon, the wind veering round to the N.E., we stood to the southward, at the distance of about eighteen leagues from the shore, trying for soundings as we went along, but finding none with one hundred and fifteen fathoms of line. At two the next morning, it shifted to W., attended with rain and lightning, and blowing in heavy squalls. During the course of the day, we had several small birds of a brown plumage, resembling linnets, flying about us, which had been forced off the land by the strong westerly gales; but toward the evening, the wind coming to the N.W., we shaped our coarse, along with them, to W.S.W., in order to regain the coast. In the morning of the 1st of November, the wind again shifted to S.E., and bringing with it fair weather, we got forty-two sets of distances of the moon from the sun and stars, with four different quadrants, each set consisting of six observations; these agreeing pretty nearly with each other, fix our situation at noon the same day, with great accuracy, in longitude 141 deg. 32'; the latitude, by observation, was 35 deg. 17', We found an error of latitude, in our reckonings of the preceding day, of eight miles, and in this day's of seventeen; from whence, and from our being much more to the eastward than we expected, we concluded, that there had been a strong current from the S.W. At two in the afternoon, we again made the land to the westward, at the distance of about twelve leagues; the southernmost land in sight, which we supposed to be White Point,[101], bore W.S.W. 1/2 W.; a hummock to the northward, which had the appearance of being an island, bore N.N.W. 1/2 W., within which we saw from the mast-head low land, which we took to be Sand- down Point.[102] We stood in toward the land, till half-past five, when we hauled our wind to the southward. At this time we saw a number of Japanese vessels, close in with the land, several seemingly engaged in fishing, and others standing along shore. We now discovered to the westward a remarkably high mountain, with a round top, rising far inland. There is no high ground near it, the coast being of a moderate elevation, and, as far as we could judge, from the haziness of the horizon, much broken by small inlets. But to the southward of the hummock island before mentioned, there appeared, at a great distance, within the country, a ridge of hills, stretching in a direction toward the mountain, and probably joining with it. As this is the most remarkable hill on the coast, we could have wished to have settled its situation exactly; but having only had this single view, were obliged to be contented with such accuracy as our circumstances would allow. Its latitude therefore we conceive to be 35 deg. 20', its longitude, estimated by its distance from the ships, at this time fifteen leagues, 140 deg. 26'.