I Saw Some Lizards; And My Men Saw
Two Or Three Beasts Like Hungry Wolves, Lean Like So Many Skeletons,
Being Nothing But Skin And Bones; It Is Probable That It Was The
Foot Of One Of Those Beasts That I Mentioned As Seen By Us In New
Holland.
We saw a raccoon or two, and one small speckled snake.
The land fowls that we saw here were crows, just such as ours in
England, small hawks and kites, a few of each sort: but here are
plenty of small turtle doves, that are plump, fat, and very good
meat. Here are two or three sorts of smaller birds, some as big as
larks, some less; but not many of either sort. The sea-fowl are
pelicans, boobies, noddies, curlews, seapies, &c., and but few of
these neither.
The sea is plentifully stocked with the largest whales that I ever
saw; but not to compare with the vast ones of the Northern Seas. We
saw also a great many green turtle, but caught none, here being no
place to set a turtle net in; there being no channel for them, and
the tides running so strong. We saw some sharks and parracoots; and
with hooks and lines we caught some rock-fish and old-wives. Of
shell-fish, here were oysters both of the common kind for eating,
and of the pearl kind; and also whelks, conchs, muscles, limpits,
periwinkles, &c., and I gathered a few strange shells, chiefly a
sort not large, and thickset all about with rays or spikes growing
in rows.
And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast,
without finding any good fresh water or any convenient place to
clean the ship, as I had hoped for; and it being moreover the height
of the dry season, and my men growing scorbutic for want of
refreshments, so that I had little encouragement to search further,
I resolved to leave this coast, and accordingly in the beginning of
September set sail towards Timor.
On the 12th of December, 1699, we sailed from Babao, coasting along
the island Timor to the eastward, towards New Guinea. It was the
20th before we got as far as Laphao, which is but forty leagues. We
saw black clouds in the north-west, and expected the wind from that
quarter above a month sooner.
That afternoon we saw the opening between the islands Omba and
Fetter, but feared to pass through in the night. At two o'clock in
the morning it fell calm, and continued so till noon, in which time
we drove with the current back again south-west six or seven
leagues.
On the 22nd, steering to the eastward to get through between Omba
and Fetter, we met a very strong tide against us, so that although
we had a very fresh gale, we yet made way very slowly; but before
night got through. By a good observation we found that the south-
east point of Omba lies in latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 66 of 97
Words from 34470 to 34976
of 50938
