At two in the morning we wore and stood in shore till daylight when I found we had drifted during the night about three leagues to the west-south-west, the southernmost land in sight bearing west.  On examining the coast and not seeing any sign of a settlement we bore away to the westward having a strong gale against a weather current which occasioned much sea.  The shore was high and covered with wood, but we did not run far before low land again formed the coast, the points of which opening at west I once more fancied we were on the south part of the island; but at ten o’clock we found the coast again inclining towards the south, part of it bearing west-south-west half west.  At the same time high land appeared in the south-west; but the weather was so hazy that it was doubtful whether the two lands were separated, the opening only extending one point of the compass.  For this reason I stood towards the outer land and found it to be the island Roti.

I returned to the shore we had left and brought to a grapnel in a sandy bay that I might more conveniently calculate my situation.  In this place we saw several smokes where the natives were clearing their grounds.  During the little time we remained here the master and carpenter very much importuned me to let them go in search of supplies; to which at length I assented but, not finding any other person willing to be of their party, they did not choose to quit the boat.  I stopped here no longer than for the purpose just mentioned, and we continued steering alongshore.  We had a view of a beautiful-looking country as if formed by art into lawns and parks.  The coast is low and covered with woods in which are innumerable fan palm-trees that look like coconut walks.  The interior part is high land but very different from the more eastern parts of the island where it is exceedingly mountainous and to appearance the soil better.

At noon the island Roti bore south-west by west seven leagues.  I had no observation for the latitude but by account we were in 10 degrees 12 minutes south; our course since yesterday noon being south 77 degrees west 54 miles.  The usual allowance of bread and water was served for breakfast and dinner, and to the surgeon and Lebogue I continued to give wine.

We had a strong breeze at east-south-east with hazy weather all the afternoon.  At two o’clock, having run through a very dangerous breaking sea, the cause of which I attributed to be a strong tide setting to windward, and shoal water, we discovered a spacious bay or sound with a fair entrance about two or three miles wide.  I now conceived hopes that our voyage was nearly at an end as no place could appear more eligible for shipping or more likely to be chosen for a European settlement:  I therefore came to a grapnel near the east side of the entrance in a small sandy bay where we saw a hut, a dog, and some cattle, and I immediately sent the boatswain and gunner away to the hut to discover the inhabitants.