176+. painted geefe. We walked more than twelve miles, and December« 7
»— ---- - found great plenty o f fine frefh. water, Monday 24. r * " but not the bay1 tha«■t*.
we fought;, ror we law no part o f the fhore, in all our
walk from Sandy Point, where a boat could land without the
utmoft hazard, the water being every where fhoal, and the
fea breaking very high. We fell in with a great number o f
the huts or wigwams of the Indians, which appeared to
have been very lately deferted, for in fome of them the fires
which they had kindled were fcarcely extinguifhed; they
were in little recedes of the woods, and always clofe to frefh
water. In many places we found plenty o f wild celery, and
a variety of plants, which probably would be of great
benefit to feamen after a long voyage. In the evening, we
walked back again, and found the fhips at anchor in Sandy
Point Bay, at the diftance o f about half a mile from the
fhore. The keen air o f this place made our people fo vora-
cioufly hungry that they could have eaten three times their
allowance; I was therefore very glad to find fome o f them
employed in hauling the feine, and others on fhore with their
gu n s : fixty very large mullets were juft taken with the feine,
as I came up ; and the gunners had good fport, for the
place abounded with geefe, teale, fnipes, and other birds,
that were excellent food.
Tuefday 27. On the 25th, Chriftmas day, we obferved by two altitudes,
and found the latitude o f Sandy Point to be 53° 10' S. At
eight in the morning, we weighed, and having failed five
leagues from Sandy Point, in the dire&ion o f S. by E. 4 E.
we anchored again in thirty-two fathom, about a mile from
the fhore ; the fouth point o f Frefh Water Bay then bearing
N. N. W. diftant about four miles ; and the fouthermoft land
S. E. by S. As we failed along the fhore, at about two miles
diftance, we had no ground with fixty fathom ; but at the
diftance o f one mile, we had from twenty to thirty-two fa-
6 thorn.
thorn. At the full and change o f the moon, the tide flows <764-
ofFFrefh Water Bay at twelve o’clock ; it runs but little, yet >
flows very much by the fhore:. Tuefday 25.
On the 26th, at eight, o’clock in the morning, we weighed-, Wednef. 26..
with the. wind at E. N. E. and fleered S. S. E. for Port Famine.
At noon, St. Anne’s Point, which is the northermoft point o f
that port, bore S. by E. 4 E. diftant three leagues. Along,
this fhore,, at the diftance o f two or three miles,, we had.
very deep water; but within a. mile had ground with,
twenty-five or thirty fathom. From Sr. Anne’s Point, a reef
o f rocks runs out S. E. by E. about two, miles; and at the.
diftance o f two cables’ length from this reef the water will
fuddenly fhoal from fixty-five to thirty-five and twenty fathom.
The Point itfelf is very fteep, fo. that there is na
founding till it is approached very near, and great care muft
be taken in Handing into. Port Famine, efpecially i f the fhip
is as farfouthward as Sedger river; for the water will fhoal.
at once from thirty to twenty, fifteen, and twelve, fathom
and" at about two cables’ length farther in, at more, than a.
mile from the fhore, there is but nine feet water, when the.
tide is out. By hauling cloferound St. Anne’s Point, foundings
will foon b e g o t; and as.tlie water fhoals very faft, i t i s ■
not fafe to go farther in, when there is no more than feven.
fathom; the Streight here is not. more than four leagues
wide.
The next day at noon-, having had little-wind; and calms, Thurrday-^. -
we anchored at Port Famine,, clofe to the fhore, and found,
our fituation very fafe,and convenient: we had- fhelter from
all winds except the S. E. which .feldom blows, and i f a fhip
fhould be driven afhore in the bottom o f the bay, fhe could
receive no damage, for it is all fine faft ground. We found,
drift wood here fufficient to have furnifhed a thoufand fail,
fo