登陆注册
14823400000045

第45章

We were now on the inner side of the island, on whose outside is the Bluff point. We rode a league from the island, and I presently went ashore and carried shovels to dig for water, but found none. There grow here two or three sorts of shrubs, one just like rosemary, and therefore I called this Rosemary Island; it grew in great plenty here, but had no smell. Some of the other shrubs had blue and yellow flowers; and we found two sorts of grain like beans; the one grew on bushes, the other on a sort of creeping vine that runs along on the ground, having very thick broad leaves, and the blossom like a bean blossom, but much larger and of a deep red colour, looking very beautiful. We saw here some cormorants, gulls, crab-catchers, etc., a few small land birds, and a sort of white parrots, which flew a great many together. We found some shell-fish, viz., limpets, periwinkles, and abundance of small oysters growing on the rocks, which were very sweet. In the sea we saw some green turtle, many sharks, and abundance of water-snakes of several sorts and sizes. The stones were all of rusty colour, and ponderous.

We saw a smoke on an island three or four leagues off, and here also the bushes had been burned, but we found no other sign of inhabitants. It was probable that on the island where the smoke was there were inhabitants, and fresh water for them. In the evening I went aboard, and consulted with my officers whether it was best to send thither, or to search among any other of these islands with my boat, or else go from hence and coast along shore with the ship, till we could find some better place than this was to ride in, where we had shoal water and lay exposed to winds and tides. They all agreed to go from hence, so I gave orders to weigh in the morning as soon as it should be light, and to get out with the land breeze.

Accordingly, August 23rd, at five in the morning, we ran out, having a pretty fresh land breeze at south-south-east. By eight o'clock we were got out, and very seasonably, for before nine the sea breeze came on us very strong, and increasing, we took in our top-sails and stood off under two courses and a mizen, this being as much sail as we could carry. The sky was clear, there being not one cloud to be seen, but the horizon appeared very hazy, and the sun at setting the night before, and this morning at rising, appeared very red. The wind continued very strong till twelve, then it began to abate; I have seldom met with a stronger breeze. These strong sea breezes lasted thus in their turns three or four days. They sprang up with the sunrise; by nine o'clock they were very strong, and so continued till noon, when they began to abate; and by sunset there was little wind, or a calm, till the land breezes came, which we should certainly have in the morning about one or two o'clock. The land breezes were between the south-south-west and south-south-east: the sea breezes between the east-north-east and north-north-east. In the night while calm, we fished with hook and line, and caught good store of fish viz., snappers, breams, old-wives, and dog-fish. When these last came we seldom caught any others; for it they did not drive away the other fish, yet they would be sure to keep them from taking our hooks, for they would first have them themselves, biting very greedily. We caught also a monk-fish, of which I brought home the picture.

On the 25th of August we still coasted along shore, that we might the better see any opening; kept sounding, and had about twenty fathom, clean sand. The 26th day, being about four leagues off shore, the water began gradually to sholden from twenty to fourteen fathom. I was edging in a little towards the land, thinking to have anchored; but presently after the water decreased almost at once, till we had but five fathom. I durst, therefore, adventure no farther, but steered out the same way that we came in, and in a short time had ten fathom (being then about four leagues and a half from the shore), and even soundings. I steered away east-north-east, coasting along as the land lies. This day the sea breezes began to be very moderate again, and we made the best of our way along shore, only in the night edging off a little for fear of shoals. Ever since we left Shark's Bay we had fair clear weather, and so for a great while still.

The 27th day we had twenty fathom water all night, yet we could not see land till one in the afternoon from our topmast-head. By three we could just discern land from our quarter-deck; we had then sixteen fathom. The wind was at north, and we steered east-by-north, which is but one point in on the land; yet we decreased our water very fast, for at four we had but nine fathom, the next cast but seven, which frightened us; and we then tacked instantly and steed off, but in a short time the wind coming at north-west and west-north-west, we tacked again and steered north-north-east, and then deepened our water again, and had all night from fifteen to twenty fathom.

同类推荐
  • 历代崇道记

    历代崇道记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大小便门

    大小便门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Moon Endureth

    The Moon Endureth

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 隆兴编年通论

    隆兴编年通论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 二酉委谭摘录

    二酉委谭摘录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 神嫡曦女,魔君让开

    神嫡曦女,魔君让开

    她是夜里的王是生命收割者施救主因为生命的无趣,因而成为了九渊大陆青渊州的沐府的废物七小姐沐九愔yīn外人欺负我,不怕有前面几个姐先教他做人我再送他一程上西方极乐世界用灵力,抱歉我发现我是这方面的祖宗以绝对压制的方法灭了你灵器,呵呵我不小心有了神器阵法咦?我误打误撞的出来了,你咋挂了魔兽?确定不是宠物后山我放养了几十只—神级王兽只是(—_—)“公子怎么就不累吗?”“爱妃,你怎么能吃完坑完骗完就走了呢?”男子伤心欲绝的说沐九愔翻了个白眼所以你跟到天上来了?不,本尊来绑你回家教育教育次日沐九愔腰酸背痛,抱怨我遭什么孽魔君回二字妖孽
  • 紫金神尊

    紫金神尊

    本故事讲述的是,一个现代的失败青年。在一次偶然的机会,得到了无上的传承。后来因被魔族的妖魔追杀,而被逼着离开了地球。踏上了修真星后,一步步艰难的,修得了无上大道的辉煌人生。
  • 星河叛徒

    星河叛徒

    既然所有人都以为我是叛徒,那我自然要配合着臭名昭著。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 四叶约定

    四叶约定

    某天,叶辰万年不变的冰山脸动容了,怒吼道:“我们特么就是想好好追梦,哪来这么多有的没的!!!”另外两个人不断的点着头,表示同意。家族恩怨,朋友背叛,亲人离去,特么的,说好的十年呢?说好的四叶约定呢?还约吗?约吗?吗……某chóu人:“蜀黍,我们不约!”某王妃:“你哭着对我说,童话里的故事都是骗人的!”三人再次发飙:“你们特么给我圆润润的滚!!!”
  • 晨曦语浅,幽境影深

    晨曦语浅,幽境影深

    这是一个离奇的故事。平凡的少女,却有一位不普通的哥哥。他带着她,走进了两个帮派。晨语组,幽影组。他是晨语组的前任队长。而她,将成为晨语组的继任队长。她将继承哥哥的使命,和她的朋友们一起,和晨语组的队友们一起,带着代表身份的神秘石,与幽影组,抗争。
  • 网游之假面正太

    网游之假面正太

    罗薇在阴差阳错之下成为了蓝小鱼,又在阴差阳错之下从萝莉变成了正太。不得不背负着蓝小鱼的身世之谜。一切都怪她旁边那只看上去人畜无害的伪人类---游戏NPC深蓝深蓝一把扯开自己的衣服,抓住罗薇的手摸向自己诱人结实的胸膛:“小鱼,这一切都怪我,你要皮鞭还是滴蜡,来吧!”罗薇无奈地扶额……
  • 回到韩国当天王

    回到韩国当天王

    回到过去,回到2001年,李太赫在韩国刮起了一阵娱乐风暴!他是与国际接轨的名导:处女座《守望者》让其一鸣惊人,《老男孩》奠定一线地位,跨国合作的《变形金刚》系列、《阿凡达》更是使其成就国际名导,成为“好莱坞最佳合伙人”!他是韩流明星的创造者:河智苑、尹恩惠、金雅中,文彩元、韩孝珠、Rain、李准基、金贤重、李敏镐、金秀贤……尽皆成为娱乐先锋!他是韩国实力派巨星的“宝弟”:薛景求、宋康昊、崔岷植、元斌、张东健、车太贤、苏志燮、黄政民……尽皆对其关照有加!他是韩国天团的守护者:神话组合、东方神起、少女时代,三大天团长久不衰,创下“韩国天团最佳组合”神话!他就是“Kirin株式会社”的会长,他是东方赐给韩国娱乐圈的“太阳”!——电影教父林权泽我们这代人的记忆,写的不单单是少女时代的事,温馨暧昧,希望朋友们喜欢……
  • 爱是一道光芒

    爱是一道光芒

    一次偶然的邂逅,美丽绝伦的云磬遇到了爱情的再次降临,身份的的悬殊有使他们欲爱不能。旧日情人邱麟的痴缠,让几人都陷入命运的泥潭......
  • 海贼之拳皇

    海贼之拳皇

    穿越到了海贼王的世界,获得了拳皇果实,居然是前世中的拳皇游戏,拳皇中的一系列人物技能在阿修的身上表现出来,海贼王,我没兴趣,我的目标是世界最强。