We presently tacked again, and stood to the north, and
then soon deepened our water; for at 2 in the morning we had 26 fathom
coral still: at 3 we had 28 coral ground: at 4 we had 30 fathom, coarse
sand, with some coral: at 5 we had 45 fathom, coarse sand and shells;
being now off the shoal, as appeared by the sand and shells, and by
having left the coral. By all this I knew we had fallen into the north of
the shoal, and that it was laid down wrong in my sea-chart: for I found
it lie in about 27 degrees latitude, and by our run in the next day I
found that the outward edge of it, which I sounded on, lies 16 leagues
off shore. When it was day we steered in east-north-east with a fine
brisk gale; but did not see the land till 9 in the morning, when we saw
it from our topmast-head, and were distant from it about 10 leagues;
having then 40 fathom water, and clean sand. About 3 hours after we saw
it on our quarter-deck, being by judgment about 6 leagues off, and we had
then 40 fathom, clean sand. As we ran in this day and the next we took
several sights of it, at different bearings and distances; from which it
appeared as you see.
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