water. About two in the afternoon we saw the land ahead
that makes the south of the bay, and before night we had again sholdings
from that shore, and therefore shortened sail and stood off and on all
night, under two top-sails, continually sounding, having never more than
ten fathom, and seldom less than seven. The water deepened and sholdened
so very gently, that in heaving the lead five or six times we should
scarce have a foot difference. When we came into seven fathom either
way, we presently went about. From this south part of the bay we could
not see the land from whence we came in the afternoon; and this land we
found to be an island of three or four leagues long; but it appearing
barren, I did not strive to go nearer it, and the rather because the
winds would not permit us to do it without much trouble, and at the
openings the water was generally shoal: I therefore made no farther
attempts in this south-west and south part of the bay, but steered away
to the eastward, to see if there was any land that way, for as yet we had
seen none there. On the 12th, in the morning, we passed by the north
point of that land, and were confirmed in the persuasion of its being an
island by seeing an opening to the east of it, as we had done on the
west. Having fair weather, a small gale, and smooth water, we stood
further on in the bay to see what land was on the east of it. Our
soundings at first were seven fathom, which held so a great while, but at
length it decreased to six. Then we saw the land right ahead. We could
not come near it with the ship, having but shoal water, and it being
dangerous lying there, and the land extraordinarily low, very unlikely to
have fresh water (though it had a few trees on it, seemingly mangroves),
and much of it probably covered at high water, I stood out again that
afternoon, deepening the water, and before night anchored in eight
fathom, clean white sand, about the middle of the bay. The next day we
got up our anchor, and that afternoon came to an anchor once more near
two islands and a shoal of coral rocks that face the bay. Here I
scrubbed my ship; and finding it very improbable I should get any further
here, I made the best of my way out to sea again, sounding all the way;
but finding, by the shallowness of the water, that there was no going out
to sea to the east of the two islands that face the bay, nor between
them, I returned to the west entrance, going out by the same way I c