Page 425
An.1687
Low Shores, and shallow Seas.
Caraccos, which is a high Coast and bold shore. The Land about Surinam on the same Coast is low and good anchoring, and that over on the Coast of Guinea is such also. And such too is the Bay of Panama, where the Pilot-book orders the Pilot always to found, and not to come within such a depth, be it by night or day. In the same Seas, from the high Land of Guatimala in Mexico, to California, there is mostly low Land and good an- choring. In the Main of Asia, the Coast of China, the Bays of Siam and Bengal, and all the Coast, of Coromandel, and the Coast about Malacca, and against it the Island Sumatra, on that side, are mostly low anchoring shores. But on the West side of Sumatra, the shore is high and bold ; so most of the Islands lying to the Eastward of Su- matra; as the Islands Borneo, Celebes, Gilolo, and a- bundance of Island of less note, lying scattering up and down those Seas, are low Land and have good anchoring about them, with many shoals scattered to and fro among them ; but the Islands lying against the East Indian Ocean, especially the West sides of them, are high Land and steep, par- ticularly the West parts, not only of Sumatra, but also of Java, Timor, &c. Particulars are endless ; but in general, 'tis seldom but high Shores and deep Waters, and on the other side, low Land and shallow Seas, are found together.
But to return from this digression, to speak of the rest of these Islands. Monmouth and Grafton Isles are very hilly, with many of those steep in- habited Precipices on them, that I shall describe particularly. The two small Islands are flat and even ; only the Bashee Island hath one steep crag- gy Hill, but Goat-Island is all flat and very e- ven.
The mold of these Islands in the Valleys, is blackish in some places, but in most red. The Hills