The trees are generally tall and
straight bodied, and may be fit for any use.
I saw one of a clean
body, without knot or limb, sixty or seventy feet high by
estimation; it was three of my fathoms about, and kept its bigness,
without any sensible decrease, even to the top. The mould of the
island is black, but not deep, it being very rocky. On the sides
and top of the island are many palmetto trees, whose heads we could
discern over all the other trees, but their bodies we could not see.
About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward,
between the main and King William's Island, leaving the island on
our larboard side, and sounding till we were past the island, and
then we had no ground. Here we found the flood setting east-by-
north, and the ebb west-by-south; there were shoals and small
islands between us and the main, which caused the tide to set very
inconstantly, and make many whirlings in the water; yet we did not
find the tide to set strong any way, nor the water to rise much.
On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William's Island, we plied
all day between the main and other islands, having easterly winds
and fair weather till seven the next morning; then we had very hard
rain till eight, and saw many shoals of fish. We lay becalmed off a
pretty deep bay on New Guinea, about twelve or fourteen leagues
wide, and seven or eight leagues deep, having low land near its
bottom, but high land without. The easternmost part of New Guinea
seen bore east-by-south, distant twelve leagues; Cape Mabo west-
south-west half-south, distant seven leagues.
At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and continued till six in
the evening, so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay
still off the forementioned bay, having King William's Island still
in sight, though distant by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues
west. We saw many shoals of small fish, some sharks, and seven or
eight dolphins, but caught none. In the afternoon, being about four
leagues from the shore, we saw an opening in the land, which seemed
to afford good harbour. In the evening we saw a large fire there,
and I intended to go in (if winds and weather would permit) to get
some acquaintance with the natives.
Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo, to the 12th, we had
small easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times,
where I made my men cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a
westerly wind should present, and so we plied to the eastward, as
winds and currents would permit, having not got in all above thirty
leagues to the eastward of Cape Mabo; but on the 12th, at four in
the afternoon, a small gale sprang up at north-east-by-north, with
rain; at five it shuffled about to north-west, from thence to the
south-west, and continued between those two points a pretty brisk
gale, so that we made sail and steered away north-east, till the
13th, in the morning, to get about the Cape of Good Hope. When it
was day we steered north-east half east, then north-east-by-east
till seven o'clock, and, being then seven or eight leagues off
shore, we steered away east, the shore trending east-by-south. We
had very much rain all night, so that we could not carry much sail,
yet we had a very steady gale. At eight this morning the weather
cleared up, and the wind decreased to a fine top-gallant gale, and
settled at west-by-south. We had more rain these three days past,
than all the voyage, in so short a time. We were now about six
leagues from the land of New Guinea, which appeared very high; and
we saw two headlands about twenty leagues asunder, the one to the
east and the other to the west, which last is called the Cape of
Good Hope. We found variation east 4 degrees.
The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o'clock, it blew a
very brisk gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south-
west. At two it flew about at once to the south-south-west, and
rained very hard. The wind settled some time at west-south-west,
and we steered east-north-east till three in the morning; then the
wind and rain abating, we steered east-half-north for fear of coming
near the land. Presently after, it being a little clear, the man at
the bowsprit end called out, "Land on our starboard bow." We looked
out and saw it plain: I presently sounded, and had but ten fathom,
soft ground. The master, being somewhat scared, came running in
haste with this news, and said it was best to anchor. I told him
no, but sound again; then we had twelve fathom; the next cast,
thirteen and a half; the fourth, seventeen fathom; and then no
ground with fifty fathom line. However, we kept off the island, and
did not go so fast but that we could see any other danger before we
came nigh it; for here might have been more islands not laid down in
my drafts besides this, for I searched all the drafts I had, if
perchance I might find any island in the one which was not in the
others, but I could find none near us. When it was day we were
about five leagues off the land we saw; but, I believe, not above
five miles, or at most two leagues, off it when we first saw it in
the night.
This is a small island, but pretty high; I named it Providence.
About five leagues to the southward of this there is another island,
which is called William Scouten's Island, and laid down in our
drafts:
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