broad leaves, and the blossom like a bean blossom, but much larger and of
a deep red colour, looking very beautiful. We saw here some cormorants,
gulls, crab-catchers, etc., a few small land birds, and a sort of white
parrots, which flew a great many together. We found some shell-fish,
viz., limpets, periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters growing on the
rocks, which were very sweet. In the sea we saw some green turtle, many
sharks, and abundance of water-snakes of several sorts and sizes. The
stones were all of rusty colour, and ponderous.

We saw a smoke on an island three or four leagues off, and here also the
bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of inhabitants. It
was probable that on the island where the smoke was there were
inhabitants, and fresh water for them. In the evening I went aboard, and
consulted with my officers whether it was best to send thither, or to
search among any other of these islands with my boat, or else go from
hence and coast along shore with the ship, till we could find some better
place than this was to ride in, where we had shoal water and lay exposed
to winds and tides. They all agreed to go from hence, so I gave orders
to weigh in the morning as soon as it should be light, and to get out
with the land breeze.

Accordingly, August 23rd, at five in the morning, we ran out, having a
pretty fresh land breeze at south-south-east. By eight o'clock we were
got out, and very seasonably, for before nine the sea breeze came on us
very strong, and increasing, we took in our top-sails and stood off under
two courses and a mizen, this being as much sail as we could carry. The
sky was clear, there being not one cloud to be seen, but the horizon
appeared very hazy, and the sun at setting the night before, and this
morning at rising, appeared very red. The wind continued very strong
till twelve, then it began to abate; I have seldom met with a stronger