Page 459
An.1687
Isles of Timor, Omba, and Pentare. 459
or that they were making merry, as 'tis usual in these parts to do all the night, singing and danc- ing till morning.
We found a pretty strong Tide here, the flood setting to the Southward, and the ebb to the North- ward. These shoals, and many other that are not laid down in our Drafts, lye on the South West side of the Islands where we heard the Drum, a- bout a league from them. At last we past be- tween the Islands, and tried for a passage on the East side. We met with divers shoals on this side also, but found Channels to pass through; so we steered away for the Island Timor, intending to pass out by it. We had the Winds commonly at W. S. W. and S. W. hard gales, and rainy weather.
The 16th day, we got clear of the shoals, and steered S. by E. with the Wind at W. S. W. but veering every half hour, sometimes at S. W. and then again at W. and sometimes at N. N. VV. bringing much Rain, with Thunder and Lightening.
The 20th day we passed by the Island Omba, which is a pretty high Island, lying in lat. 8 d. 20 m. and not above 5 or 6 leagues from the N. E. part of the Island Timor. It is about 13 or 14 leagues long, and five or six leagues wide.
About 7 or 8 leagues to the VVest of Omba, is a- nother pretty large Island, but it had no name in our plats; yet by the situation it should be that, which in some Maps is called Pentare. We saw on it abun- dance of smoaks by day, and fires by night, and a large Town on the North side of it, nor far from the Sea; but it was such bad weather that we did not go ashore. Between Omba and Pentare, and in the mid Channel, there is a small low sandy Island, with great shoals on either side; but there is a very good Channel close by Pentare, between that and the shoals about the small Isle. We were three days beating off and on, not having