le before sun-set, we
were in sight of the main-land, which appeared all very low and sandy,
extending as far to the northward as N.W. by N., some shoals, quays, and
low sandy isles stretching away to the N.E.

At six o'clock in the morning, we got again under sail, with a fresh
breeze at E., and stood away N.N.W. for some low islands in that
direction, but were soon obliged to haul close upon a wind to weather a
shoal which we discovered upon our larboard bow, having at the same time
others to the eastward: By the time we had weathered this shoal to
leeward, we had brought the islands well upon our lee-bow, but seeing
some shoals run off from them, and some rocks on our starboard-bow,
which we did not discover till we were very near them, I was afraid to
go to windward of the islands, and therefore brought-to, and having made
the signal for the pinnace, which was ahead, to come on board, I sent
her to leeward of the islands, with orders to keep along the edge of
the shoal, which ran off from the south side of the southermost island,
sending the yawl at the same time, to run over the shoal in search of
turtle. As soon as the pinnace had got to a proper distance, we wore,
and stood after her: As we ran to leeward of this land, we took the yawl
in tow, she having seen only one small turtle, and therefore made but
little stay upon the shoal. The island we found to be a small spot of
sand with some trees upon it, and we could discern many huts, or
habitations of the natives whom we supposed occasionally to visit these
islands from the main, they being only five leagues distant, to catch
turtle, when they come ashore to lay their eggs. We continued to stand
after the pinnace N.N.E. and N. by E. for two other low islands, having
two shoals without us, and one between us and the main. At noon, we were
about four leagues from the main, which we saw extending to the
northward, as far as N.W. by N. all flat and sandy. Our latitude, by
observation, was 11 deg. 23' S. and our longitude 217 deg. 46' W. our soundings
were from fourteen to twenty-three fathom. By one o'clock, we had run
nearly the length of the southermost of the two islands in sight, and
finding that the going to windward of them would carry us too far from
the main, we bore up and ran to leeward, where finding a fair open
passage, we steered N. by W. in a direction parallel to the main,
leaving a small island which lay between it and the ship, and some low
sandy isl