ake the
cutter in tow.

Friday the 30th, hard gales, and a great sea; saw some islands and some
sunken rocks; at six saw the main in two points of land, with a large
opening; on each side the sunken rocks are innumerable; the entrance is so
dangerous, that no mortal would attempt it unless his case was desperate as
ours, we have nothing but death before our eyes in keeping the sea, and the
same prospect in running in with the land: We ran in before the wind to the
opening that appear'd between the two points, the northmost of which bore
N. by E., and the southmost S. by E. We steered in east, and found the
opening to be a large lagoon on the southmost side, running into a very
good harbour; here our small vessel lay secure in a cove, which nature had
form'd like a dock; we had no occasion to let go our anchor, but ran
alongside the land, and made fast our head and stern. The people went
ashore in search of provision; here we found plenty of wood and water, and
fine large muscles in great quantities. Served to each man half a piece of
beef.

Saturday the 31st, this morning cast loose and row'd towards the mouth of
the lagoons, designing to put out to sea, but the wind blew so hard that we
were obliged to come to an anchor. This afternoon, in weighing the grapnel
in order to go to the cove, we found it foul among some rocks, all hands
haul'd, took a turn round the main-mast and went aft, which weighed the
grapnel, but straightened one of the flukes: Here the land is very high and
steep on each side, the carpenter and cooper were on the highest of these
hills, and found deep ponds of water on the top of them; these hills are
very rocky, and there are great falls of water all along the coast: The
whole navy of England may lie with safety in many of those lagoons, but the
coast is too dangerous for any ship to fall in with the land. The people
today were very much afflicted with the gripes and pains in their side.
Here are abundance of trees, not unlike our yew-trees, they are not above
seven or eight inches in diameter, and the bark is like cedar. The land is
to appearance very good, but on digging beneath the surface we find it
almost an entire stone. We saw no people here, though it is plain there
have been some lately, by their wigwams or huts. We are so closely pent up
for want of room, that our lodging is very uncomfortable; the stench of the
men's wet cloaths makes the air we breathe nauseous to that degree, that
one