The sea
broke high on it; by which I saw plainly there was a shoal there. I stood
farther off and coasted alongshore to about 7 or 8 leagues distance: and
at 12 o'clock at night we sounded, and had but 20 fathom hard sand. By
this I found I was upon another shoal, and so presently steered off west
half an hour, and had then 40 fathom. At one in the morning of the 18th
day we had 85 fathom: by two we could find no ground; and then I ventured
to steer alongshore again, due north, which is two points wide of the
coast (that lies north-north-east) for fear of another shoal. I would not
be too far off from the land, being desirous to search into it wherever I
should find an opening or any convenience of searching about for water,
etc. When we were off the shoal point I mentioned where we had but 20
fathom water, we had in the night abundance of whales about the ship,
some ahead, others astern, and some on each side blowing and making a
very dismal noise; but when we came out again into deeper water they left
us. Indeed the noise that they made by blowing and dashing of the sea
with their tails, making it all of a breach and foam, was very dreadful
to us, like the breach of the waves in very shoal water, or among rocks.
Pages:
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152