The going into this harbour is very remarkable; on
the south side lies, one mile in the land, an high peaked-tip rock, much
like a tower, looking as though it was a work of art set up for a land-mark
to steer into this harbour; this rock is forty feet high. At five o'clock
got into the harbour, run up to Seal Island, which lieth about a league up;
here we killed more seal in half an hour than we could carry off, being
obliged to leave the greatest part of what we killed behind. The people
eating greedily of the seal, were seized with violent fevers and pains in
their heads. While we were at Port Desire we had seal and fowl in
abundance. The carpenter found here a parcel of bricks, some of'em with
letters cut in them, on one of those bricks these words were very plain and
legible, viz. _Capt. Straiton, 16 Cannons, 1687_. Those we imagine have
been laid here from a wreck. The carpenter with six men went in search of
water, a mile up the water's side; they found Peckett's well, mention'd in
Sir John Narborough's book; the spring is so small, that it doth not give
above thirty gallons per day, but the well being full, supplied us. The
people grow very turbulent and uneasy, requiring flour to be served out;
which, in our present circumstance, is a most unreasonable request; we have
but one cask of flour on board, and a great distance to run into the
Brazil, and no other provision in the boat but the seal we have killed
here: Nay, they carry their demands much higher, insisting that the marine
officers, and such people as cannot be assisting in working the boat, shall
have but half the allowance of the rest; accordingly they have pitched upon
twenty to be served half a pound of flour each man, and themselves a pound.
This distinction the half-pounders complain of, and that twenty are
selected to be starved. While we were at Port Desire, one day dressing our
victuals, we set fire to the grass; instantly the flames spread, and
immediately we saw the whole country in a conflagration, and the next day,
from the watering-place, we saw the smoke at a distance, so that then the
fire was not extinguished.

Friday the 25th, little wind, and fair weather; went up to our slaughter-
house in Seal island, and took on board our sea-store, which we completed
in half an hour's time; turned down the harbour with the tide of ebb, in
the evening, the wind at N.E. could make no hand of it, so bore away for
the harbour again, and came to an anchor