The 27th, as no negroes came to us, we went along shore in the pinnace, and going beyond the point of the bay (Cape Emanuel) we found a fair island (Goree) with a goodly bay, and saw some negroes on the main who waved us on shore.  Going a-land, they told us that they had elephants teeth, musk[275], and hides for traffic; but as the captain of the Christopher was not willing to stop, we went on board and made sail, On inquiry, some of the negroes said there had been no ships there for 8 months, others said six, and some only four, and that they were French ships.

[Footnote 273:  The bay of Yof, in lat. 15 deg.  N. long. 17 deg. 20’ W. from Greenwich.—­E.]

[Footnote 274:  Obviously the Bird isles, which are 4-1/2 leagues E.S.E. from Cape Verd, not W.S.W. as in the text.—­E.]

[Footnote 275:  What is here called musk must have either been civet or ambergris.—­E.]

The 10th of March we fell in with the coast of Guinea, 5 leagues east of Cape Monte, beside a river called Rio das Palmas.  At this place I got 19 elephants teeth, and 2 1/2oz. of gold.  The 13th we came to Rio Sestro, and next day sent our boats for water, and delivered such wares to the Christopher and Tiger as they needed.  The 15th we sent the Tiger to another river for water, and to try what she could do for grains.  We here learnt that three French ships had been at this river two months before, two six weeks ago, and one only a fortnight past, all of which had gone eastwards to the Mina.  Getting few grains, and many of our men falling sick at this unwholesome place, and considering that the French ships were before us, we left the Rio Sestro on the 19th, and made all sail for the Mina[276].  The 21st we came to Rio de Potos, where our boats went for water, and where I got 12 small elephants teeth.  The 31st we came to Hanta, where I sold some Manillios.

On the 1st of April we had sight of 5 Portuguese ships, on which we stood out to sea to gain the wind of them, which we had done if the wind had kept its ordinary course at S.W. and W.S.W. but this day it kept with a flow always at E. and E.S.E. so that they had the wind of us and chased us to leeward till near night, when all but one that sailed badly were within shot of us.  It then fell calm, and the wind came round to S.W. at which time the Christopher was about 4 leagues to leeward of us.  We tacked in the Minion, and gained the wind of the Portuguese admiral and other three of his ships; when he cast about and fired at us, which we returned, shooting him four or five times through.  Several of their shots went through our sails, but none of our men were hurt.  The Christopher was still to leeward, though the Tiger and the pinnace had joined us; but as it was night we did not think it adviseable to lay him on board; wherefore, after firing two hours or more, we three stood out to sea, and fired a gun to give notice to the Christopher.  We joined the Christopher on