We sailed from Saldanha road on the 28th June, and were 100 leagues to the east of Cabo das Aguilhas before we found any current, but it was then strong.  The 31st July at noon, we found the latitude 17 deg. 8’ S. our longitude being 20 deg. 47’ E. and at four p.m. we saw the island of Juan de Nova, distant four leagues E.S.E.[75] Its size, and I think we saw it all, is about three or four miles long, all very low and rising from the sea like rocks.  Off the west end we saw breakers, yet could not get ground with a line of 150 fathoms, sounding from our boat.  The latitude of this island, observed with great accuracy, is 17 deg.,[76] and it seems well laid down in our charts, both in regard to latitude and longitude.  It is a most sure sign of being near this island, when many sea fowl are seen, and we accordingly saw there ranch fowl, some white, having their wings tipped only with black, and others all black.

[Footnote 75:  St Juan de Nova is in lat. 17 deg. 50’ S. and long. 45 deg. 30’E. from Greenwich—­E.]

[Footnote 76:  In lat. 17 deg.  S. and long. 60 deg.  E. is an island or bank called Nazareth, Corados, or Garajos, a long way however from St Juan de Nova.—­E.]

The 3d August, in lat 13 deg. 35’ by observation, and longitude 22 deg. 30’ from the Cape, we saw Mal-Ilha, one of the Comoros, about twelve leagues off, having on the east part of it a very fair sugar-loaf hill.[77] At the same time with this island, we had sight of that named Comoro, bearing N.N.W. by W. being high land.  At six a.m. of the 4th we were close in with Mal-Ilha, and standing in for some place in which to anchor, while some eight or nine miles from the shore, we saw the ground under the ship in not less than eight or ten fathoms.  The Hosiander, two miles nearer the land, had four or five fathoms, and her boat was in three fathoms.  We then sent both our boats to sound, which kept shoaling on a bank in eight, ten, and twelve fathoms, and off it only half a cable’s length had no ground with 100 fathoms.  At the north end of Mal-Ilha there is a fair big high island, about five or six miles in circuit.[78] A bank or ledge of rocks extends all along the west side of Mal-Ilha, continuing to the small high island; and from this little island to Mal-Ilha may be some eight or nine miles, all full of rocks, two of them of good height.  Being at the north end of this ledge, and the little island bearing S.E. you may steer in with the land, keeping the island fair aboard; and within the rocks or broken ground and Mal-Ilha there is a bay with good anchorage.  To the eastwards, on coming in from the ledge of rocks, there is a great shoal, the outermost end of which is N.E. or N.E. by E. from the small island five or six miles, and no ground between that we could find with forty or fifty fathoms line.  In fine, all the north side of Mal-Ilha is very dangerous, but the above-mentioned channel is quite safe.  I would have come to anchor here, as there is a town about a mile east from the before-mentioned bay, the people being very good, and having abundance of refreshments, as beeves, goats, hens, lemons, cocoa-nuts in great plenty, and excellent water, but could not get in, owing to the wind being directly south.