e came near a stony, rocky reef, which we
kept outside or to seaward of in 8 and 9 fathom. The eastern extremity of
it is less than a mile to the S.W., slightly more southerly, of the Witte
Hoeck, and the western extremity upwards of mile to the S.W. by S.,
slightly more southerly, of the same; the reef extends S.E. by S. and
N.W. by N.; it is not very long or broad, and there were violent breakers
upon it.

When we had weathered the reef, we again ran W.S.W. at less than a mile's
distance from the land, in 8, 9, 7 and 5 fathom good anchoring-ground.
From the Witte Hoeck the land trends nearly to W.S.W. with a slight
curve, as far as one can see; close to the sea the beach is chiefly
sandy, with small, low sand-hills here and there.

The whole day we saw a good deal of smoke landinward; at noon we were in
exactly 11 deg. S.L. From this Witte Hoeck the land trends to W.S.W.,
slightly westerly, with a slight curve for the space of upwards of 3
miles; from there to W.N.W. with a strong curve the space of upwards of
two miles, as far as a point, off which point, at less than half a mile's
distance to N.E. by E., there is a small island on all sides surrounded
by shoals and reefs; beyond this island the land falls off to the S.W.,
making a curve of 2 miles at least but afterwards it trends to the N.W.
again. This island bears from the land about N.W. and S.E.; the beach is
sandy with reefs here, and there.

At sunset it fell a calm, and we came to anchor in 8 fathom good
anchoring-ground at about a mile's distance from the land, having the
island S.S.E. of us at upwards of a mile's distance. Shortly after we saw
two fires on the beach beyond the island. We estimated ourselves to have
sailed about 8 miles this day; during the night the wind blew from the S.
and S.S.W. with lovely weather. We found little or no current running
here.

{Page 71}

On Friday the 20th do. we set sail at daybreak with a weak breeze from
the S.; we kept mainly at a mile's distance from the land in 7 and 71/2
fathom good anchoring-ground. In the course of the day the wind went over
to N.E., after which we ran N.W.; at noon we got near the Roode Hoeck
[red point], situated N.W. of the island aforesaid at about 5 miles'
distance; upwards of half a mile's distance from here the land falls off
to W. by W.; from this point a large reef was seen running out to sea the
length of upwards of 11/2 mile, which reef being unable to weather because
we sailed