HIS DEPARTURE FOR NEW HOLLAND.
Our stay here was till the 23rd of April. I would have gone before if I
could sooner have fitted myself; but was now earnest to be gone, because
this harbour lies open to the south and south-south-west, which are
raging winds here, and now was the season for them. We had 2 or 3 touches
of them; and one pretty severe, and the ships ride there so near each
other that, if a cable would fail or an anchor start, you are instantly
aboard of one ship or other: and I was more afraid of being disabled he
in harbour by these blustering winds than discouraged by them, as my
people were, from prosecuting the voyage; for at present I even wished
for a brisk southerly wind, as soon as I should be once well out of the
harbour, to set me the sooner into the true general tradewind.
The tide of flood being spent, and having a fine land-breeze on the 23rd
in the morning, I went away from the anchoring place before it was light;
and then lay by till daylight that we might see the better how to go out
of the harbour. I had a pilot belonging to Mr. Cock who went out with me,
to whom I gave 3 dollars; but I found I could as well have gone out
myself by the soundings I made at coming in.
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