370 AVOYAGETO Book IX. 



of rocks which fence it againft the impetuofity of the 

 fea. The chief inconveniency is, that when the breeze 

 ' blows ftrong, it is extreamly difficult and dangerous 

 for boats to land ; for thofe winds, efpecially at E.N.E. 

 fweep along the whole harbour. 



At the end of the month of Auguft, the French 

 fquadron under Mr. Defturbier de TEtanduere, which 

 had been expedted from Leogane, came into the 

 harbour of Cape Franfois ; it confifted of the follow- 



ing five (hips : 



Le Jufte, the commodore of — 70 guns 



L'Alcide 70 



L' Ardent 60 



Le Caribou ^ 30 



La Muitne 26 



Several merchant fhips bound for Europe, took 

 the advantage of failing with this convoy ; and on 

 the 6th of September, the whole fleet put to fea to 

 the number of fifty three fail, including the men 

 of war, frigates, brigantines, and bilanders. At 

 fun-fet Picolet-point bore S. 5*^ W. diftance four 

 leagues and a half. The yth they fteered for Cay- 

 cos, and not getting fight of thefe ifiands during 

 the day, it was thought advifeable to lay to all 

 night : but on the 8th at eight in the morning they 

 faw the Cayco-grande, an ifland of fand three leagues 

 in length, Nx and S. but appears the more confpi- 

 cuous from a few bu(hes growing on it. At noon 

 its fouth point bore S. E. ^ foutherly diftant two 

 leagues and a half. By the latitude they obferved, 

 that of the ifland was fet down at 21^ 35' and by 

 the courfe its longitude determined to be the fame 

 with that of Cape Francois, unlefs the current of the 

 waters, which was perceived to let to the northward, 

 may be fuppofed to have occafioned fome fmall 

 error. 



The frequent danger which the merchant Ihips 

 were in of running foul of each other, and the re- 

 tardment 



