A VOYAGE TO BORNEO.

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can fcarce believe. When our men landed, they were furprized to fee the vaft numberof large fea-fowl that fat on the rocks ; fuch as boobees, nodees, men of war, tropickbirds, &c. that fuffered themfelves to be taken off' from their eggs; they fit only uponone egg, and that without any manner of neft, only laid in a hollow part of a rock.The failors filled their caps and hats with them, while the birds fluttered about them,and followed them, being ready to fettle on their heads; a great number of whichthey knocked down with their flicks. We fpent two or three hours in the pinnace snear the rocks, where we caught a prodigious number of various filh ; which were foplenty, that in one hour there were more caught than was fufficient for forty men toeat in a day : but we were often plagued with young lharks, that would run awaywith our hooks and lines. The water was fo clear that we could fee the filh take thebait ; and when we faw a {hark coming towards it, we made what hafte we could to pullup our lines ; yet they were fo quick that they would catch the bait fometimes on theVery furface of the water. Some of our men that were on the fhore filhed among therocks on the fea-fide, and caught a great number of large conger eels. Here is alfogreat plenty of oyfters, limpets and other Ihell-filh. There is no place more ftoredwith fea-tortoife. The method of taking them is thus : feveral perfons go alhore inthe night, but they muft not make the leaft noife, nor any Ihew of fire, not fo much asa lighted pipe of tobacco ; they muft watch the coming of the tortoife alhore, whichthey do at certain feafons of the year to lay their eggs in the fand, that are hatched bythe natural heat of the fun : then they come, and with a boat-hook, or hand-pike, turnthe tortoife on the back, which is no eafy talk ; for if it be not at a pretty diftance fromthe water, Ihe will often fcramble away from them, being very ftrong and heavy to beturned. I have been informed that fome v'ere taken here which weighed five or fixhundred weight a piece, having a vaft many eggs, which are very delicious food.Some of our Ihip’s company went alhore that night, for that purpofe ; but the greatfain that fell prevented their diverfion. We often take a fmaller fort at fea, which incalm weather we fee lleeping on the furface of the water; we row up gently in the boat,and take them ere they wake : we took feveral, which we kept alive on deck withoutany food for the fpace of two months.

There is a large crofs fixed formerly by the Portuguefe on a high hill, which is feenfrom the road, and ferves as a land-mark to know it, there being feveral other baysbefore you arrive at it, whereby you may be miftaken ; but if you bring the aforefaidcrofs to bear fouth-eaft, half-fouth, and the higheft peak on the illand to bear eaft-fouthcall, then the north-eaft point of the bay will bear north-north-eaft half-eaft and you willhave ten fathoms water, being as good anchoring as any in the bay. I have been toldthat letters are often left at this crofs in bottles, to fecure them from the weather: andthat when the Portuguefe come, they go up thither, it being but a little way ; and■whatever letter they find, they forward it according to directions.

We kept on our way towards England, with fine pleafant weather; and on thetith of September, in the latitude of four degrees fix minutes north, we met a Ihipcalled the Elizabeth of Briftol, which informed us of mighty difturbances in GreatBritain, and of a probability of a war with France ; that the late Duke of Ormond,and feveral others, had left the nation ; that there was great prefling of men, and pre-parations making for war. The mailer told us, that he departed from Cape Clear, onthe fouth-weft coaft of Ireland , about ten days before ; and that it bore off from usWeft 2x3 leagues. Confidering thefe matters, and the time of his departure, with thetime we Ihould take to get into the Downs; fearing left a war might be declared withFrance before our arrival, we thought proper, for the better fecurity of our Ihips and

3 cargoes,