han I expected; for though the island itself was not
very large, yet when I came to the east side of it, I found a great
ledge of rocks lie out about two leagues into the sea, some above water,
some under it; and beyond this a shoal of sand, lying dry half a league
more; so that I was obliged to go a great way out to sea to double
that point.

When I first discovered them, I was going to give over my enterprise,
and come back again, not knowing how far it might oblige me to go out to
sea, and above all, doubting how I should get back again; so I came to
an anchor, for I had made me a kind of an anchor with a piece of broken
grappling which I got out of the ship.

Having secured my boat, I took my gun, and went on shore, climbing up an
hill, which seemed to over-look that point, where I saw the full extent
of it, and resolved to venture.

In my viewing the sea from that hill where I stood, I perceived a
strong, and indeed a most furious current, which ran to the east, even
came close to the point; and I took the more notice of it, because I
saw there might be some danger, that when I came into it, I might be
carried out to sea by the strength of it, and not be able to make the
island again. And indeed, had I not gotten first upon this hill, I
believe it would have been so; for there was the same current on the
other side of the island, only that it set off at a farther distance;
and I saw there was a strong eddy under the shore; so I had nothing to
do but to get out of the first current, and I should presently be in
an eddy.

I lay here, however, two days; because the wind blowing pretty fresh (at
E.S.E. and that being just contrary to the said current) made a great
breach of the sea upon the point; so that it was not safe for me to keep
too close to the shore for the breach, nor to go too far off because of
the stream.

The third day in the morning, the wind having abated over-night, the sea
was calm, and I ventured; but I am a warning-piece again to all rash and
ignorant pilots; for no sooner was I come to the point, when I was not
my boat's length from the shore, but I found myself in a great depth of
water, and a current like a sluice of a mill. It carried my boat along
with it with such violence, that all I could do could not keep her so
much as on the edge of it: but I found it hurried me farther and farther
out from the eddy, which was on the left hand. There was no wind
stirring to help me, and all that I c