We saw here some cormorants,
gulls, crab-catchers, etc., a few small land-birds, and a sort of white
parrot, which flew a great many together. We found some shellfish, namely
limpets, periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters, growing on the
rocks, which were very sweet. In the sea we saw some green-turtle, a
pretty 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 3 or 4 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
alongshore 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.

According, August the 23rd, at 5 in the morning we ran out, having a
pretty fresh land-breeze at south-south-east. By 8 o'clock we were got
out, and very seasonably; for before 9 the seabreeze came on us very
strong, and increasing, we took in our topsails and stood off under 2
courses and a mizzen, 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 12, then
it began to abate: I have seldom met with a stronger breeze. These strong
seabreezes lasted thus in their turns 3 or 4 days. They sprang up with
the sunrise; by 9 o'clock they were very strong, and so continued till
noon, when they began to abate; and by sunset there was little wind, or a
calm till the land-breezes came; which we should certainly have in the
morning about 1 or 2 o'clock. The land-breezes were between the
south-south-west and south-south-east. The seabreezes between the
east-north-east and north-north-east. In the night while calm we fished
with hook and line and caught good store of fish, namely, snapper, bream,
old-wives, and dogfish. When these last came we seldom caught any others;
for if they di