break:  It set us very fast towards the shore, which is as dangerous as any in the world, and I could see the surge breaking at some distance from it, mountains high:  Happily for us a fresh gale sprang up at south-east, with which, to our great joy, we were able to stand off; and if behoves whoever shall afterwards come this way, to give the north part of this island a good birth.  After I had got to some distance, the weather being thick, and it raining very hard, I brought-to.  Our latitude was now 51 deg.S. and longitude 63 deg. 22’ W.

On Monday the 14th, the weather having cleared up, and the wind shifted to the S.S.W. we steered along the short S.E. by E. four miles, and saw a low flat island full of high tufts of grass, resembling bushes, bearing south, at the distance of two or three leagues, the northernmost land at the same time bearing west, distant about six leagues:  We had here thirty-eight fathom, with rocky ground.  We continued our course along the shore six leagues farther, and then saw a low rocky island hearing S.E. by E. distant about five miles:  Here we brought-to, and having sounded, we had forty fathom water, with a bottom of white sand.  This island is about three leagues distant from the land we were coasting, which here forms a very deep bay, and beats E. by N. of the other island on which we had seen the long tufts of grass:  We saw the sea break at a good distance from the shore, and during the night stood off and on.  The next morning at three o’clock we made sail, and stood in for the land to look for a harbour.  At six, the east end of the rocky island bore W.S.W. distant about three miles, and our soundings then were sixteen fathom, with rocky ground; but when we got within the island we had twenty fathom, with fine white sand.  The coast from this rocky island lies E. by S. distant about seven or eight leagues, where there are two low islands, which make the easternmost land in sight.  At eight o’clock we saw an opening, which had the appearance of an harbour, bearing E.S.E. and being between two and three leagues distant.  Upon this discovery we brought to, and sent a boat from each of the ships to examine the opening; but it beginning to blow very hard soon after, and the weather growing thick, with heavy rain, we were obliged to stand out to sea with both the ships, and it was not without great difficulty that we cleared the two rocky islands which were to the eastward of us.  We had now a great sea, and I began to be under much concern lest we should be blown off, and our people in the boats left behind:  However, about three in the afternoon, the weather clearing up, I tacked and stood in again, and presently after had the satisfaction to see one of the boats, though it was a long way to leeward of us.  I immediately bore down to her, and found her to be the Tamar’s boat, with Mr Hindman, the second lieutenant, on board, who having been on shore in the opening, had ventured off, notwithstanding the great sea and bad weather, to inform me that he