our
going out. Upon this island we saw an incredible number of birds,
chiefly sea-fowl: We found also the nest of an eagle with young ones,
which we killed; and the nest of some other bird, we knew not what, of a
most enormous size; it was built with sticks upon the ground, and was no
less than six-and-twenty feet in circumference, and two feet eight
inches high. We found also that this place had been visited by the
Indians, probably to eat turtle, many of which we saw upon the island,
and a great number of their shells, piled one upon another in different
places.

To this spot we gave the name of _Eagle Island_, and after leaving it,
we steered S.W. directly for the ship, sounding all the way, and we had
never less than eight fathom, nor more than fourteen; the same depth of
water that I had found between this and Lizard Island.

When I got on board, the master informed me that he had been down to the
low islands, between which and the main I had directed him to sound;
that he judged them to lie about three leagues from the main; that
without them he found from ten to fourteen fathom, and between them and
the main seven: But that a flat, which ran two leagues out from the
main, made this channel narrow. Upon one of these low islands he slept,
and was ashore upon others; and he reported, that he saw every where
piles of turtle-shells; and fins hanging upon the trees in many places,
with the flesh upon them, so recent, that the boats crew eat of them: He
saw also two spots, clear of grass, which appeared to have been lately
dug up, and from the shape and size of them, he conjectured they were
graves.

After considering what I had seen myself, and the report of the master,
I was of opinion that the passage to leeward would be dangerous, and
that, by keeping in with the main, we should run the risk of being
locked in by the great reef, and at last be compelled to return back in
search of another passage, by which, or any other accident that should
cause the same delay, we should infallibly lose our passage to the East
Indies, and endanger the ruin of the voyage, as we had now but little
more than three months provisions on board at short allowance.

Having stated this opinion, and the facts and appearances upon which it
was founded, to the officers, it was unanimously agreed, that the best
thing we could do would be to quit the coast altogether, till we could
approach it with less danger.

In the morning, therefore,