which blow in
gusts, so that ships ought here to lay their best anchor to the south,
and all little enough sometimes for their safety. They produce nothing
except wood, and are frequented by vast flocks of sea fowl, called
boobies by our sailors. The _booby_ is about the size of a duck, some
entirely white and others grey, having feet like a duck, and subsist
mostly on flying-fishes, which they catch while in the air. I have made
many a meal on these birds, but it was for want of other victuals, for
they taste very fishy, and are apt to make one sick, if not previously
well salted. They are so silly, when weary of flying, that they will
light upon your hand, if held out to them.

We anchored at the island of _Le Grand_, in lat, 23 deg. 30' S.[206] on the
24th of November. This is a very woody island, on which are several good
springs of water. It is about nine miles in circuit, and three miles
from the main, the woods being infested with many savage animals, which
make a most hideous noise in the night. It produces sugar, rum, and
several kinds of fruits, but all very dear, on account of supplying the
town of St Paul with necessaries. _St Paul_ is 300 miles inland from Le
Grand; but by the vast high mountains which are between, it is reckoned
a distance of sixty days journey. Near St Paul there is said to be a
gold mine, which is accounted the richest hitherto known. We here
wooded, watered, and refitted our ships; and our new first-lieutenant,
falling out with the captain, went ashore, together with eight of our
men, and left us. Here also Charles Pickering, captain of the
Cinque-ports, departed this life, and was succeeded in the command by
his first-lieutenant, Mr Thomas Stradling. At this island there are good
fish of various sorts, one of which, called the _Silver-fish_, is about
twenty inches long, and eight deep, from back to belly, having five
small fins immediately behind the head, and one large fin from the last
of these to the tail; one middle-sized fin on each side near the gills,
and a large fin from the middle of the belly to the tail, which last is
half-moon shaped. The eyes are large, the nostrils wide, and the mouth
small. It is a thin fish, and full of bones, of a fine transparent
white, like silver.

[Footnote 206: Isla Grande is only in lat 30 deg. N. and St Paul's, stated
in the text, as 300 miles distant, is hardly 200, and is at within
twenty-five miles of the coast farther south.--E.]

Leavin