.variegated ; fome of them are high, others low ; fome exceedingly broken and
mere barren rocks, others will ¿loathed. Part of the main land is Very high, and
has exteniive flats, covered with trees. Latitude 22° 8'.
On the 29th, in the morning, we palled into the bay, which appears to be the
entrance into fome river, by the ftrong tide that riins into the channel, which fell
twelve feet in fix hours. The captain intended to' ground the ihip here, in order
to clean her bottom ; but,
On the 3 ift, we left this bay, not being able to find any frelh water, or any kind
of proviOons, not even fiih. The bayis open to the north ; is very large and deep, and
capable of containing a navy at anchor. There were many creeks, that feemed to
end in a lagoon ; But'thè captain could not determine whether the inlet, that led
into the country, was a river. The country about the bay is but indifferently
cloathed ; the trees are finali j and the foil on the hills is.very ftony; and bare of
crafs under the trees. That part of the fliore, which I faw, feemed to be a rock,
«iompofed of broken ¿tones', 'cemented together with mud. On our firlt view, of
this coaft, we conceived the moil pleafing hopes, but were unhappily difappointed.
We faw only two of the Indians, but the marks of many more, and the footfteps
of an animal that had a cloven hoof We faw alfo many of the Yam-trees, the
oreater part of them having been ftripped of the bark j and feveral forts of ants,
fome of which build their nefts of earth againft the fide of a tree, .while others
make them of leaves, glued together and hung upon the branches.
From a hill, at the entrance into the bay, we had thirty ¡(lands in view.
Through this labyrinth of ¡Hands we paffed with fome difficulty, on account of the
number of lhaals which we met With 5 one of which we ihould. have been upon,
had not the men in the boat given us timely notice. We were encouraged to attempt
a paffage through them, from an expeilation, we -had formed, of finding
one to the north fide of the land.
On the 2d of June, we were in. the latitude of 20" 56', and dill among iflands,
through which we were obliged to (leer with great caution, keeping a boat out a-
head, and coming to every night : we yet narrowly efcaped a bank, the foundings
were fo unequal. The land appeared very high, and much broken; had but an
indifferent afpeil, and feemed fo be thinly inhabited.
On the 3d, in the morning, we had land on every quarter, excepting at fouth-
eafl, and flood to north-well; where there appeared to be an opening, which carried
us into a ftrait, in which we found deep water. This ftrait lies almofl north
and fauth ! is about feven leagues long, and one and a half broad. On the weft of
it lies the main, and, on the eaft, a row of iflands which extend a confiderable way to
the fouth. The land on both fidls looked much better than that which we had feen
before -; being high, abounding in trees, and not Tandy. We difcovered three per-
fons through our glaffes, and a canoe with out-riggers, like thofe of Otaheite. In
the evening, we had almoft got out of the ftraits, the iflands failing, and the main
tending more, to the weft. Latitude 20 27 .
On the 4th, we cleared the ftraits and iflands, .and got into-an open fea. The
land upon the coaft was full of very high hills, whofe bowels are probably rich in
ore; but their furface is p o o r in d e e d , being more barren, and fuller of Hones, than
any land we had feen. We had clear and pleafant weather, and the land ftill tended
away to the weft. Latitude 19“ 48/.
On the 7th, we were between a parcel of ¡Hands and the main. The miin-land
looked very barren and dreary : tlie hills upon it looked like a heap of rubbiih, On
which nothing was to be feen, excepting a few low buihes : but the iflands made a
better appearance. We faw a few people in canoes, ftriking fiih, fome fmoke on
the.main, and fome palm-trees. Latitude 18*48'.
On the 8th, the main land appeared ftill higher, and very barrdn. WediBo-
vered feveral iflands that looked like fo many heaps of rubbiih, which had lain long
enough to have a few weeds and buihes grow on them. On one of them, .which
is not more than two miles in circumference, we faw a company-of the natives', entirely
naked, and of a dark complexion, Handing quite ftill, and beholding- the
(hip with aftoniihment. At night we faw a fire, which yielded a very grateful
odour, not unlike that produced by burning the wood of gum benjamin.