It Has About 5 Degrees 18 Minutes Longitude From
East To West.
It is generally high mountainous land, mixed with
large valleys, which, as well as the mountains appeared very
fertile; and in most places that we saw, the trees are very large,
tall and thick.
It is also very well inhabited with strong well-
limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at several
places. As to the product of it, I know no more than what I have
said in my account of Port Montague; but it is very probable this
island may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world: and
the natives may be easily brought to commerce, though I could not
pretend to it under my present circumstances.
Being near the island to the northward of the volcano, I sent my
boat to sound, thinking to anchor here, but she returned and brought
me word, that they had no ground till they met with a reef of coral
rocks about a mile from the shore, then I bore away to the north
side of the island, where we found no anchoring neither. We saw
several people, and some cocoa-nut trees, but could not send ashore
for want of my pinnace, which was out of order. In the evening I
stood off to sea, to be at such a distance that I might not be
driven by any current upon the shoals of this island, if it should
prove calm. We had but little wind, especially the beginning of the
night; but in the morning I found myself so far to the west of the
island, that the wind being at east-south-east, I could not fetch
it, wherefore I kept on to the southward, and stemmed with the body
of a high island about eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the
southward of that which I before designed for.
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