his orders.

The 17th we set sail, and got sight of the coast of Africa, and running
along shore came off Rio del Oro which is almost under the tropic of
Cancer. The 25th we got sight of the land in the bay to the north of
Cape Verd[273]. The 26th taking our interpreter Francisco and Francis
Castelin along with me in the pinnace, I went to the Tiger, which was
nearer shore than the other ships. With her and the other ships we ran
W. by S. and W.S.W, till about 4 o'clock, P.M. when we were close on
board the cape. Then going about 4 leagues beyond the cape S.W. we found
a fair island, and beside that two or three islands of high rocks, full
of various kinds of sea fowl and pigeons, with other kinds of land
birds, and so numerous that the whole island was covered with their
dung, and as white as if the whole had been covered by chalk. Within
these islands was a fine bay; and close by the rocks we had 18 fathoms
and good ground[274]. The 27th, as no negroes came to us, we went along
shore in the pinnace, and going beyond the point of the bay (Cape
Emanuel) we found a fair island (_Goree_) with a goodly bay, and saw
some negroes on the main who waved us on shore. Going a-land, they told
us that they had elephants teeth, musk[275], and hides for traffic; but
as the captain of the Christopher was not willing to stop, we went on
board and made sail, On inquiry, some of the negroes said there had been
no ships there for 8 months, others said six, and some only four, and
that they were French ships.

[Footnote 273: The bay of Yof, in lat. 15 deg. N. long. 17 deg. 20' W. from
Greenwich.--E.]

[Footnote 274: Obviously the Bird isles, which are 4-1/2 leagues E.S.E.
from Cape Verd, not W.S.W. as in the text.--E.]

[Footnote 275: What is here called musk must have either been civet or
ambergris.--E.]

The 10th of March we fell in with the coast of Guinea, 5 leagues east of
Cape _Monte_, beside a river called Rio das Palmas. At this place I got
19 elephants teeth, and 2 1/2oz. of gold. The 13th we came to Rio
Sestro, and next day sent our boats for water, and delivered such wares
to the Christopher and Tiger as they needed. The 15th we sent the Tiger
to another river for water, and to try what she could do for grains. We
here learnt that three French ships had been at this river two months
before, two six weeks ago, and one only a fortnight past, all of which
had gone eastwards to the Mina. Getting few grains, and many of our men