marked Waterplaets in the
chart. The land here is high, hilly, and reefy near the sandy beach;
seeing that nothing profitable could be effected here, we returned to the
yacht, which was lying-by under small sail; towards the evening we were
at about 1 mile's distance from three islets, of which the southernmost
was the largest; five miles by estimation farther to northward we saw a
mountainous country, but the shallows rendered (or render) it impossible
for us to get near it; in almost every direction in which soundings were
taken, we found very shallow water, so that we sailed for a long time in
5, 4, 3, 21/2, 2, 11/2 fathom and even less, so that at last we were forced
to drop anchor in 11/2 fathom, without knowing where to look for greater or
less depths; after sunset we therefore sent out the pinnace to take
soundings, which found deeper water a long way S.W. of the pinnace, viz.
2, 3, and 41/2 fathom; we were very glad to sail thither with the yacht,
and cast anchor in 81/2 fathom, fervently thanking God Almighty for his
inexpressible mercy and clemency, shown us in this emergency as in all
others.

In the morning of the 15th, the wind being S.E. with good weather, we set
sail on a W. course, which took us into shallower water of 2, 21/2 and 3
fathom; we therefore went over to S.W., when we came into 31/2, 4, 5, 6
fathom and upwards; we had lost sight of the land here, and found it
impossible to touch at it or follow it any longer, owing to the shallows,
reefs and sandbanks and also to the E. winds blowing here; on which
account it was resolved and determined--in order to avoid such imminent
perils as might ultimately arise if we continued to coast along the land
any longer--to turn back and hold our course first for the Vleermuijs
Eijlant; we therefore stood out to sea on a W. course in 91/2 fathom and
upwards, having sailed 17 miles in 24 hours, kept west, and finding no
bottom in 27 fathom.

* * *

NOTE

That in our landings between 13 deg. and 11 deg. we have but two times seen black
men or savages, who received us much more hostilely than those more to
southward; they are also acquainted with muskets, of which they would
seem to have experienced the fatal effect when in 1606 the men of the
Duyffken made a landing here.

* * *

In the morning of the 16th, the wind was E.S.E. with good weather, the
Eastern monsoon having set in; course held N.N.W., at noon we were in 10 deg.
27', having sailed 30 miles