about feventeen leagues diflant. At noon we perceived a low double
land, bearing W. S. W, about ten leagues diftant, which we took
to be the Ifland of St. Catherine s. That afternoon and the next
morning, the wind being N. N. W , we gained very little to windward,
and were apprehenlive of being driven to the leeward o f the
Ifland; but a little before noon, the next day, the wind came about
to the fouthward, and enabled us to fleer in between the North
point of St. Catherine s, and the neighbouring Ifland o f Alvoredo.
As we flood in for the land, we had regular foundings gradually
decreafing, from thirty-fix to twelve fathom, all muddy ground. In
this laft depth of water we let go our anchor at five o’clock in the
evening of the 18th, the North-weft point of the Ifland of St. Catherine's
bearing S. S. W , diftant three miles; and the Ifland Alvoredo
N. N . E, diftant two leagues.’ Here we found the tide to let
S. S. E , and N. N. W , at the rate of two knots, the tide of flood
coming from the fouthward. We could from our ftfips obferve two
fortifications at a confiderable diftance within us, which leemed de-
figued to prevent the paflage of an enemy between the Ifland o f St.
Catherine's and the main. And we could foon perceive that our
fquadron had alarmed the coaft j for we law the two forts hoift their
colours, and fire feveral guns, which we fuppofed were figuals for
aflembling the inhabitants. T o prevent any confufion, the Com-
modore immediately font a boat with an officer on Ihore, to compliment
the Governor, and to defire a Pilot to carry Us into the1
road. The Governor returned a very civil anfwer, and Ordered us
a'Pilot. On the morning of the 2cth we weighed and flood in,
and towards noon the Pilot came on board us,'who, the fame afternoon,
brought us to an aitchor in five fathom and an half, in a
large commodious bay on the continent fide, called, by the French,‘
Bon Port. In Handing from our laft anchorage to this place, we
every where found an ouzy bottom, with a depth o f water firft regularly
decreafing to five fathom, and then increafing to feven, after
which we had fix and five fathom alternately. The next morn--
1 iuS
irtg we weighed again with the fquadron, in order to run above the
two fortifications we have mentioned, which are called the caftles
o f Santa Crui% and St. Juan. Our foundings now, between the
Ifland and the Main, were four, five,, and fix fathom, with muddy
ground. As we palled by the cafile of Santa Cruiss, we faluted it
with eleven guns, and were anfwered by an equal number; and at
one in the afternoon, the fquadron came to an anchor in five
fathom and a half, the Governor’s Ifland bearing N. N. W , St.
Juan's Caftle N..E. | Eaft, and the Ifland of St. Antonio. South. In
this pofition we moored at the Ifland of St. Catherine's, on Sunday
the 21 ft of December, the whole fquadron. being, as I have already
mentioned, fickly, and in great want of refrelhments : both which
inconveniences we hoped to have foon removed at this fettlement,
celebrated by former Navigators, for its heakhinefs, and the plenty
o f its provifions; and for the, freedom, indulgence, and friendly
affiftance there given to the fihipsof all European Nations, in amity
with the Grown of Portugal-
G € H A P .