There Are Two Or Three Watering Places On The
North Part Of This Island, None Of Them Very Commodious, Yet There Is
Water Enough To Be Had With Some Trouble.
Departing from this island of St Mary on the 23d December, we came into
the bay of Antongil on
Christmas-day, and anchored in eight fathoms
water, at the bottom of the bay, between a small island and the
main.[105] The best riding is nearest under the lee of that small
island, which serves as a defence from the wind blowing into the bay;
for while we were there it blew a very heavy storm, and those ships
which were nearest the island fared best Two of our ships drove with
three anchors a-head, the ground being oosy and not firm. Going a-land
on the small island, we perceived by a writing on the rocks, that five
Holland ships had been there, and had departed about two months before
our arrival, having had sickness among them; for, as we could perceive,
they had lost between 150 and 200 men at this place.
[Footnote 105: This island of Maroise is in lat. 15 deg. 10' S. and almost
in the same longitude with the isle of St Mary, being 62 English miles
from its northern extremity. - E.]
The day after we anchored, we landed on the main, where the people
presently came to us, making signs that five Dutch ships had been there,
and had bought most of their provisions.
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