At one o’clock, being about two leagues distant from the shore, the extreams of three remarkable round hills bore from S.W. by W. to W.S.W. At four, Cape Virgin Mary bore S. E. by S. distant about four leagues. At eight, we were very near the Cape, and upon the point of it saw several men riding, who made signs for us to come on shore. In about half an hour we anchored in a bay, close under the south side of the Cape, in ten fathom water, with a gravelly bottom. The Swallow and store-ship anchored soon after between us and the Cape, which then bore N. by W. ½ W. and a low sandy point like Dungeness S. by W. From the Cape there runs a shoal to the distance of about half a league, which may be easily known by the weeds that are upon it. We found it high water at half an hour after eleven, and the tide rose twenty foot.

The natives continued abreast of the ship all night, making several great fires, and frequently shouting very loud. As soon as it was light, on Wednesday morning the 17th, we saw great numbers of them in motion, who made signs for us to land. About five o’clock I made the signal for the boats belonging to the Swallow and the Prince Frederick to come on board, and in the mean time hoisted out our own. These boats being all manned and armed, I took a party of marines, and rowed towards the shore, having left orders with the master to bring the ship’s broad-side to bear upon the landing-place, and to keep the guns loaded with round shot. We reached the beach about six o’clock, and before we went from the boat, I made signs to the natives to retire

Voyaging Accounts