ain soundings; for
even while we were out of sight of land we had once but 7 fathom, and had
also great and uncertain tides whirling about, that made me afraid to go
near a coast so shallow, where we might be soon aground and yet have but
little wind to bring us off: for should a ship be near a shoal she might
be hurled upon it unavoidably by a strong tide, unless there should be a
good wind to work her and keep her off. Thus also on the 7th day we saw
no land, though our water decreased again to 26 fathom; for we had
deepened it, as I said, to 30.

WATERSNAKES.

This day we saw two water-snakes, different in shape from such as we had
formerly seen. The one was very small, though long; the other long and as
big as a man's leg, having a red head; which I never saw any have, before
or since. We had this day latitude 16 degrees 9 minutes by observation.

I was by this time got to the north of the place I had thought to have
put in at where I dug wells in my former voyage; and though I knew, by
the experience I had of it then, that there was a deep entrance in
thither from the eastward; yet by the shoals I had hitherto found so far
stretched on this coast, I was afraid I should have the same trouble to
coast all along afterwards beyond that place: and besides the danger of
running almost continually amongst shoals on a strange shore, and where
the tides were strong and high; I began to bethink myself that a great
part of my time must have been spent in being about a shore I was already
almost weary of, which I might employ with greater satisfaction to my
mind, and better hopes of success, in going forward to New Guinea. Add to
this the particular danger I should have been in upon a lee shore, such
as is here described, when the north-west monsoon should once come in;
the ordinary season of which was not now far off, though this year it
stayed beyond the common season; and it comes on storming at first, with
tornadoes, violent gusts, etc. Wherefore quitting the thoughts of putting
in again at New Holland, I resolved to steer away for the island Timor;
where, besides getting fresh water, I might probably expect to be
furnished with fruits and other refreshments to recruit my men, who began
to droop; some of them being already to my great grief afflicted with the
scurvy, which was likely to increase upon them and disable them, and was
promoted by the brackish water they took in last for boiling their
oatmeal. It was now also