DAMPIEr’s ACCOUNT OF NEW HOLLAND.

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the fou f h- r euth-weft, and rained very hard. The wind fettled fometime at weft-fouth-Weft, and we fleered eaft-north-eaft till three in the morning; then the wind and rainabating, we fleered eaft-half-north for fear of coming near the land. Prefently after,it being a little clear, the man at the bowfprit end, called put, land on our ftarboardbow ; we looked out and faw it plain : I prefently founded, and had but ten fathomfoft ground. The mafter, being fomewhat feared, came running in hafte with thisnews, and faid it was belt to anchor; I told him no, but found again; then we'hadtwelve fathom ; the next call thirteen and a half; the fourth, feventeen fathom; andthen no ground with fifty fathom line. However,, we kept off the ifland, and did notgo fo fall but that we could fee any other danger before we came nigh it; for heremight have been more iflands not laid down in my drafts befides this; for I fearchedall the drafts I had, if perchance I might find any ifland in the one, which was notin the others, but I could find none near us. When it was day, we were about fiveleagues off the land we faw ; but, I believe, not above five miles, or at moll two leaguesoff it, when we firft faw it in the night.

This is a fmall ifland, but pretty high; I named it Providence. About fiveleagues to the fouthward of this, there is another ifland, which is called William.Scouten’s Ifland, and laid down in our drafts; it is a high ifland, and about twentyleagues long. •

It was by mere providence that w'e miffed the fmall ifland; for had not the windcome to weft-fouth-weft, and blown hard, fo that we fleered eaft-north-eaft, we hadbeen upon it by our courfe that we fleered before, if we could not have feen it. Thismorning we faw many great trees and logs.fwim by us; which, it is probable, came°ut of fome great rivers on the main.

On the 16th, we croffed the line, and found variation 6° 26 ' eaft. The 18th, by myobfervation at noon, we found that we had had a current fetting to the fouthward, andprobably that drew us in fo nigh Scouten’s Ifland. For this twenty-four hours wefleered eaft-by-north with a large wind, yet made but an eaft-by-fouth half-fouth courfe,though the variation was not above 7° eaft.

The 21 ft, we had a current fetting to the northward, which is againft the truetrade monfoon, it being now near the full moon. I did expect it here, as in all otherplaces. We had variation 8° 45' eaft. The 2 2d we found but little current, if any,tt fet to the fouthward.

On the 23d, in the afternoon, we faw two fnakes, and the next morningMother, palling by us, which was furioufly affaulted by two filhes, that had kept uscompany five or fix days; they were lhaped like mackarel, and were about that bignefsmid length, and of a yellow greenilh colour. The fnake fwam away from them verymft, keeping his head above water; the filh flapped at his tail, but when he turnedmmfelf, that filh would withdraw, and another would fnap, fo that by turns they keptmm employed, yet he ftill defended himfelf, and fwam away a great pace, till they were°m of fight.

The 25th, betimes in the morning, we faw an ifland to the fouthward of us, at aboutmteen leagues diftance. We fleered away for it, fuppofing it to be that which thentch call Wilhart’s Ifland, but finding it otherwife, I called it Matthias, it being thata mt s day. This ifland is about nine or ten leagues long, mountainous and woody,^tth many favannahs, and fome fpots of land which feemed to be cleared.

Ill ^ e ’&bt in the evening we lay by, intending, if I could, to anchor under Matthiasbut the next morning, feeing another ifland about feven or eight leagues to themlward of it, we fleered away for it; at noon we. came up fair with its fouth-weft end,

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