on the island of Quivetta, which satisfied us they had no intentions to attack us.  I now sent Mr Brooks in our yawl to attack them, when he found them all ashore, and brought away their piraguas with two prisoners, a negro and a mulatto, the rest taking refuge in the woods.  We took all their provisions, consisting of a small quantity of pork, with plantains, some green, some ripe, and some dried.  Of this last there was a considerable quantity, which, on being pounded, made a pleasant-tasted flour, indifferently white, and supplied us with bread for a month.  The mulatto mortified us greatly by telling us that a vessel laden with provisions had passed near us in the night, but promised to bring us to a place where we might supply ourselves without hazard, provided we were not above two or three days about it, wherefore we made all possible dispatch in getting in our wood and water.

We weighed from this place on the 16th January, steering for Mariato, being the westernmost point of the gulf of St Martin.  In going out from the channel of Quibo, we were in imminent danger of being forced by the current upon two rocks at a small distance from each other, off the northern point of Quivetta; but having cleared them, we steered through Canal bueno, or the good channel, so called from its safety, being free from rocks or shoals.  Over against the south entrance of these straits, at the distance of a league from point Mariato, is the island of Cebaco, in my opinion about ten leagues in circumference.  I ran along the south end of that island, and in the evening of the 19th got safe in between it and point Mariato, and anchored in six fathoms, over against a green field, being the only clear spot thereabout.  Our pilot advised us to land about three hours before day, when we should be in good time for the plantations.  Accordingly, I went at two in the morning in our own boat, the two lieutenants being in the two piraguas, and left my son with a few hands to take care of the ship.  Our pilot carried us a little way up the river of St Martin, and out of that through several branches or narrow creeks, among groves of trees, so close that we had not room to row.  Not approving of this navigation, I kept a watchful eye on our guide, suspecting he had no good design in his head.  We landed just at day-break, in a fine plain, or savannah; and, after a march of three miles, came to two farm-houses, whence the inhabitants made their escape, except the wife and children belonging to one of them.  We had the satisfaction of seeing that this place answered the description given by our guide, being surrounded by numerous flocks of black cattle, with plenty of hogs, and fowls of several sorts, together with some dried beef; plantains, and maize; and, in the mean time, we had a breakfast of hot cakes and milk.