( 3^6 ) 



coaft along the grand Caicos, till we came to ilw 

 opening between all thefe rocks and the Bahama 

 iflands. 



This is the pafifage for all the vefTels which 

 return from St. Domingo to France, but then 

 there is nothing to fear, for they can take their 

 pwn time to enter the ftraits, and this pafifage 

 lying open to the north-weft, they are almoft 

 certain of having good weather to carry them 

 through it. But in order to enter on the fide in 

 which we were, we mnft reckon on the north - 

 eaft, and it is a great chance to find the wind on 

 that point. Thus none that we know of have as 

 yet attempted this pafifage. In ftiort, we were re- 

 folved to run all hazards, and drew near the grand 

 Caicos. 



Two hours after mid-day, we were no more 

 than a cannon-fhot from it, and, perhaps, we were 

 the firft, who without an indifpenfable neceffity 

 had ventured fo near it in a (hip. The coaft 

 is, however, very clear, and about feven or eight 

 foot high, fometimes a little more, but fteep and 

 without any beach. The foil has not every where 

 the appearance of barren. Geographers place 

 this ifland directly under the tropick, which 

 was a point we could not examine into, it 

 being then hazy weather ; but I believe it 

 lies a little farther to the fouthward, for there 

 certainly is not three degrees difference of la- 

 titude, between this ifland and cape Francois. 



We coafted along the grand Caicos till four 

 o'clock in the evening, having both wind and 



currents 



