ay, nor the
water to rise much.

PLYING ON THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA.

On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William's Island, we plied all
day between the main and other islands, having easterly winds and fair
weather till 7 the next morning. Then we had very hard rain till 8 and
saw many shoals of fish. We lay becalmed off a pretty deep bay on New
Guinea, about 12 or 14 leagues wide and 7 or 8 leagues deep, having low
land near its bottom, but high land without. The eastermost part of New
Guinea seen bore east by south, distant 12 leagues: Cape Mabo
west-south-west half south, distant 7 leagues.

At 1 in the afternoon it began to rain and continued till 6 in the
evening; so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay still off
the forementioned bay, having King William's Island still in sight,
though distant by judgment 15 or 16 leagues west. We saw many shoals of
small fish, some sharks, and 7 or 8 dolphins; but caught none. In the
afternoon, being about 4 leagues from the shore, we saw an opening in the
land which seemed to afford good harbour: in the evening we saw a large
fire there; and I intended to go in (if winds and weather would permit)
to get some acquaintance with the natives.

Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo to the 12th we had small
easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times; where I made
my men cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a westerly wind
should present; and so we plied to the eastward, as winds and currents
would permit; having not got in all above 30 leagues to the eastward of
Cape Mabo. But on the 12th, at 4 in the afternoon, a small gale sprang up
at north-east by north with rain: at 5 it shuffled about to north-west,
from thence to the south-west, and continued between those 2 points a
pretty brisk gale; so that we made sail and steered away north-east, till
the 13th in the morning, to get about the Cape of Good Hope. When it was
day we steered north-east half east, then north-east by east till 7
o'clock; and being then 7 or 8 leagues off shore we steered away east;
the shore trending east by south. We had very much rain all night, so
that we could not carry much sail; yet we had a very steady gale. At 8
this morning the weather cleared up and the wind decreased to a fine
top-gallant gale, and settled at west by south. We had more rain these 3
days past than all the voyage in so short time. We were now about 6
leagues from the land of N