land till one in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By three we could
just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then sixteen fathom. The
wind was at north, and we steered east-by-north, which is but one point
in on the land; yet we decreased our water very fast, for at four we had
but nine fathom, the next cast but seven, which frightened us; and we
then tacked instantly and steed off, but in a short time the wind coming
at north-west and west-north-west, we tacked again and steered
north-north-east, and then deepened our water again, and had all night
from fifteen to twenty fathom.

The 28th day we had between twenty and forty fathom. We saw no land this
day, but saw a great many snakes and some whales. We saw also some
boobies and noddy-birds, and in the night caught one of these last. It
was of another shape and colour than any I had seen before. It had a
small long bill, as all of them have, flat feet like ducks' feet, its
tail forked like a swallow, but longer and broader, and the fork deeper
than that of the swallow, with very long wings; the top or crown of the
head of this noddy was coal-black, having also small black streaks round
about and close to the eyes; and round these streaks on each side, a
pretty broad white circle. The breast, belly, and under part of the
wings of this noddy were white, and the back and upper part of its wings
of a faint black or smoke colour. Noddies are seen in most places
between the tropics, as well in the East Indies and on the coast of
Brazil, as in the West Indies. They rest ashore at night, and therefore
we never see them far at sea, not above twenty or thirty leagues, unless
driven off in a storm. When they come about a ship they commonly perch
in the night, and will sit still till they are taken by the seamen. They
build on cliffs against the sea, or rocks.

The 30th day, being in latitude 18 degrees 21 minutes, we made the land