but little
wood aboard; wherefore I hoisted out the pinnace, and sent her to take up
some of this driftwood. In a little time she came aboard with a great
tree in tow, which we could hardly hoist in with all our tackles. We cut
up the tree and split it for firewood. It was much worm-eaten, and had
in it some live worms above an inch long, and about the bigness of a
goose-quill, and having their heads crusted over with a thin shell.

After this we passed by an island, called by the Dutch St. John's Island,
leaving it to the north of us. It is about nine or ten leagues round,
and very well adorned with lofty trees. We saw many plantations on the
sides of the hills, and abundance of cocoa-nut trees about them, as also
thick groves on the bays by the seaside. As we came near it three canoes
came off to us, but would not come aboard. They were such as we had seen
about the other islands. They spoke the same language, and made the same
signs of peace, and their canoes were such as at Cave's Island.

We stood along by St. John's Island till we came almost to the south-east
point, and then, seeing no more islands to the eastward of us, nor any
likelihood of anchoring under this, I steered away for the main of New
Guinea, we being now, as I supposed, to the east of it, on this north
side. My design of seeing these islands as I passed along was to get
wood and water, but could find no anchor ground, and therefore could not
do as I purposed; besides, these islands are all so populous, that I
dared not send my boat ashore, unless I could have anchored pretty nigh;
wherefore I rather chose to prosecute my design on the main, the season
of the year being now at hand, for I judged the westerly winds were nigh
spent.

On the 8th of March we saw some smoke on the main, being distant from it
four or five leagues. It is very high, woody land, with some spots of
savannah. About ten in the morning six or seven canoes came off to us.
Most of them had no more than one man in them. They were all black, with
short curled hair, having the same ornaments in their noses, and their
heads so shaved and painted, and speaking the same words as the
inhabitants of Cave's Island before mentioned.

There was a headland to the southward of us, beyond which, seeing no
land, I supposed that from thence the land trends away more westerly.
This headland lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 2 minutes south, and
meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,29