ides of the hills: but the mangroves thus stopping our way, we
returned as we came: but it was almost dark before we reached the mouth
of the creek. It was with much ado that we got out of it again; for it
was now low-water, and there went a rough short sea on the bar; which
however we passed over without any damage and went aboard.

The next morning at five we weighed and stood alongshore to the eastward,
making use of the sea and land-breezes. We found the seabreezes here from
the south-south-east to the south-south-west, the land-breezes from the
north to the north-east. We coasted along about 20 leagues and found it
all a straight, bold, even shore, without points, creeks or inlets for a
ship: and there is no anchoring till within a mile or a mile and a half
of the shore. We saw scarce any opening fit for our boats; and the fast
land was still barricaded with mangroves; so that here was no hope to get
water; nor was it likely that there should be hereabouts any European
settlement, since there was no sign of a harbour.

FAULT OF THE CHARTS.

The land appeared pleasant enough to the eye: for the sides and tops of
the mountains were clothed with woods mixed with savannahs; and there was
a plantation of the Indian natives, where we saw the coconuts growing,
and could have been glad to have come at some of them. In the chart I had
with me a shoal was laid down hereabouts; but I saw nothing of it, going,
or coming; and so have taken no notice of it in my map.

Weary of running thus fruitlessly along the south side of the island to
the eastward I resolved to return the way I came; and compassing the west
end of the island, make a search along the north side of it. The rather,
because the north-north-west monsoon, which I had designed to be
sheltered from by coming the way I did, did not seem to be near at hand,
as the ordinary season of them required; but on the contrary I found the
winds returning again to the south-eastward; and the weather was fair,
and seemed likely to hold so; and consequently the north-north-west
monsoon was not like to come in yet. I considered therefore that by going
to the north side of the island I should there have the smooth water, as
being the lee side as the winds now were; and hoped to have better riding
at anchor or landing on that side, than I could expect here, where the
shore was so lined with mangroves.

Accordingly the 18th about noon I altered my course and steered back
again tow