Mr. WAFERS Voyages, Sec. 3 7 9 



were forced to pafs a hot River in an open Savan- Hot River 

 rtah, although we made fome Difficulty at it by Rea- 

 fon of its Heat, This River iffued out from under 

 a Hill : But it was no Vulcan, tho' there are feve- 

 ral on this Coaft. I had the Curiofity to wade up 

 the Stream as far as I had Day-light to guide me : 

 The Water was clear and (hallow, but the Streams 

 under the Hill were like thofe of a boiling Pot, and 

 my Hair was wet with them. The River without 

 the Hill reek'd for a great way. Many of our 

 Men who had the Itch bath'd themfelves here, and 

 growing well foon after, they imputed it to the Sul- 

 phuroufnefs, or other Vertue of this Water. In 

 this Place are a Multitude of Wolves, which are the Fierce 

 boldeft that ever I met with : for they would come Wolvtu 

 fo near, as to be almoft ready to pull the Flefh out 

 of our Hands : Yet we durft not flioot them for 

 fear the Noife of our Guns fhould call more to 

 their Affiftance ; and we went but ftragling up and 

 down . 



Our Men being tolerably well recovered, we 

 flood away to the Southward, and came to the 

 Ifland Cocos, in 5 Deg. 15 Min. N. Lat. 'Tis fol-Ctow, 

 called from its Coco-Nuts, wherewith 'tis plentifully 

 ftor'd. 'Tis but a fmall liland, yet a very pleafant a pleafant 

 one : For the Middle of the Ifland is a fteep Hill, Place - 

 furrounded all about with a Plain, declining to the 

 Sea. This Plain, and particularly the Valley where 

 you go afhore, is thick fet with Coco-nut Trees, 

 which flourifh here very finely, it being a rich and 

 fruitful Soil. They grow alfo on the Skirts of the 

 Hilly Ground in the Middle of the Ifle, and Scatter- 

 ing in Spots upon the Sides of it, very pleafantly. 

 But that which contributes moft to the Pleafure of 

 the Place is, that a great many Springs of clear and 

 fweet Water rifing to the Top of the Hill, are 

 there gathered as in a deep large Bafon or Pond, the 

 Top fubfiding inwards quite round ; and the Wa- 

 ter 



