d not drive away the other fish, yet they would be sure to
keep them from taking our hooks, for they would first have them
themselves, biting very greedily. We caught also a monkfish, of which I
brought home the picture. See Fish Figure 1.

On the 25th of August we still coasted alongshore, that we might the
better see any opening; kept sounding, and had about 20 fathom clean
sand. The 26th day, being about 4 leagues offshore, the water began
gradually to shoal from 20 to 14 fathom. I was edging in a little towards
the land, thinking to have anchored; but presently after the water
decreased almost at once, till we had but 5 fathom. I durst therefore
adventure no farther, but steered out the same way that we came in; and
in a short time had 10 fathom (being then about 4 leagues and a half from
the shore) and even soundings. I steered away east-north-east coasting
along as the land lies. This day the seabreezes began to be very moderate
again, and we made the best of our way alongshore, only in the night
edging off a little for fear of shoals. Ever since we left Shark's Bay we
had fair clear weather, and so for a great while still.

The 27th day we had 20 fathom water all night, yet we could not see land
till 1 in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By 3 we could just discern
land from our quarter-deck; we had then 16 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 4 we had but 9 fathom; the next
cast but 7, which frighted us; and we then tacked instantly and stood
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 15 to 20 fathom.

The 28th day we had between 20 and 40 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 und