The sea is plentifully stocked with the largest whales that I ever saw; but not to compare with the vast ones of the Northern Seas.  We saw also a great many green turtle, but caught none, here being no place to set a turtle net in; there being no channel for them, and the tides running so strong.  We saw some sharks and parracoots; and with hooks and lines we caught some rock-fish and old-wives.  Of shell-fish, here were oysters both of the common kind for eating, and of the pearl kind; and also whelks, conchs, muscles, limpits, periwinkles, &c., and I gathered a few strange shells, chiefly a sort not large, and thickset all about with rays or spikes growing in rows.

And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, without finding any good fresh water or any convenient place to clean the ship, as I had hoped for; and it being moreover the height of the dry season, and my men growing scorbutic for want of refreshments, so that I had little encouragement to search further, I resolved to leave this coast, and accordingly in the beginning of September set sail towards Timor.

On the 12th of December, 1699, we sailed from Babao, coasting along the island Timor to the eastward, towards New Guinea.  It was the 20th before we got as far as Laphao, which is but forty leagues.  We saw black clouds in the north-west, and expected the wind from that quarter above a month sooner.

That afternoon we saw the opening between the islands Omba and Fetter, but feared to pass through in the night.  At two o’clock in the morning it fell calm, and continued so till noon, in which time we drove with the current back again south-west six or seven leagues.

On the 22nd, steering to the eastward to get through between Omba and Fetter, we met a very strong tide against us, so that although we had a very fresh gale, we yet made way very slowly; but before night got through.  By a good observation we found that the south-east point of Omba lies in latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes.  In my drafts it is laid down in 8 degrees 10 minutes.  My true course from Babao, is east 25 degrees north, distance one hundred eighty-three miles.  We sounded several times when near Omba, but had no ground.  On the north-east point of Omba we saw four or five men, and a little further three pretty houses on a low point, but did not go ashore.

At five this afternoon we had a tornado, which yielded much rain, thunder, and lightning; yet we had but little wind.  The 24th in the morning we caught a large shark, which gave all the ship’s company a plentiful meal.

The 27th we saw the Burning Island; it lies in latitude 6 degrees 36 minutes south; it is high, and but small; it runs from the sea a little sloping towards the top, which is divided in the middle into two peaks, between which issued out much smoke:  I have not seen more from any volcano.  I saw no trees; but the north side appeared green, and the rest looked very barren.