Page 461
An.1687
A Shoal near Timor, past with difficulty.
still with a great deal of Rain: the wind at W. and W. S. W.
Being now clear of all the Islands, we stood off South, intending to touch at New Holland, a part of Terra Australis Incognita, to see what that Coun- try would afford us. Indeed, as the Winds were, we could not now keep our intended course (which was first Westerly, and then Northerly) without going to New Holland, unless we had gone back a- gain among the Islands: but this was not a good time of the year to be among any Islands to the South of the Equator, unless in a good Harbour.
The 31st day we were in lat. 13 d. 20 m. still standing to the Southward, the wind bearing com- monly very hard at W. and we keeping upon it under 2 courses, and our Mizen, and sometimes a Main-top-sail rift. About 10 a clock at night we tackt and stood to the Northward, for fear of run- ning on a shoal, which is laid down in our Drafts in lat. 13 d. 50 m. or thereabouts: it bearing S. by W. from the East end of Timor: and so the Island bore from us, by our judgments and reck- oning. At 3 a clock we tackt again, and stood S. by W. and S. S. W.
In the morning, assoon as it was day, we saw the shoal right ahead: it lies in 13 d. 50 m. by all our reckonings. It is a small spit of hand, just ap- pearing above the waters edge, with several Rocks about it, 8 or 10 foot high above water. It lies in a triangular form; each side being abour a league and half. We stemm'd right with the middle of it, and stood within half a mile of the Rocks, and founded; but found no ground. Then we went about and stood to the North 2 hours; and then tackt and stood to the Southward again, thinking to weather it: but could not. So we bore away on the North side, till we came to the East point, giving the Rocks a small birth: then we trimb'd sharp.