from shore; but we soon got out of soundings.  About a league to the south of this bay, which hath about two miles extent, is another more extensive.  Towards the evening, the breeze began to abate, so that it was sun-set before we got the length of it.  I intended not to stop here, and to stand to the south under an easy sail all night; but at eight o’clock, as we were steering S.S.E. we saw a light ahead.  Not knowing but it might be on some low detached isle, dangerous to approach while dark, we hauled the wind, and spent the night standing off and on, or rather driving to and fro; for we had but very little wind.

At sun-rise on the 2d, we saw no more land than the coast we were upon; but found that the currents had carried us some miles to the north, and we attempted, to little purpose, to regain what we had lost.  At noon we were about a league from the coast, which extended from S.S.E. to N.E.  Latitude observed 18 deg. 45’ S. In the afternoon, finding the ship to drift not only to the north, but in shore also, and being yet to the south of the bay we passed the day before, I had thoughts of getting to an anchor before night, while we had it in our power to make choice of a place.  With this view, having hoisted out two boats, one of them was sent ahead to tow the ship; in the other Mr Gilbert went to sound for anchorage.  Soon after, the towing boat was sent to assist him.  So much time was spent in sounding this bay, that the ship drove past, which made it necessary to call the boats on board to tow her off from the northern point.  But this service was performed by a breeze of wind, which, that moment, sprung up at S.W.; so that as the boats got on board, we hoisted them in, and then bore up for the north side of the island, intending once more to try to get round by the east; Mr Gilbert informed me, that at the south part of the bay, he found no soundings till close to a steep stone beach, where he landed to taste a stream of water he saw there, which proved to be salt.  Some people were seen there, but they kept at a distance.  Farther down the coast, that is to the north, he found twenty, twenty-four, and thirty fathoms, three-fourths of a mile, or a mile, from shore, the bottom a fine dark sand.

On the 3d, at sun-rise, we found ourselves abreast a lofty promontory on the S.E. side of the island, and about three leagues from it.  Having but little wind, and that from the south, right in our teeth, and being in want of fire-wood, I sent Lieutenant Clerke with two boats to a small islet which lies off the promontory, to endeavour to get some.  In the mean time we continued to ply up with the ship; but what we gained by our sails, we lost by the current.  At length towards noon, we got a breeze at E.S.E., and E., with which we could lie up for the head; and soon after Mr Clerke returned, having not been able to land, on account of a high surf on the shore.  They met with no people on the isle; but saw a large bat, and some birds, and caught a water-snake.