PORTER’S JOURNAL. 19 
red cliff of rocks, the only one to be seen; and the point formin 
with the Rocky Island, the E. side of the entrance of the bay, is 
marked from its summit to the water’s edge, by a remarkable 
white streak, which, at a distance, bears the appearance of a 
sheet of water, tumbling from the rocks: this mark can be seen from 
a great distance; and is a never failing guide to the harbour’s 
mouth. Between each of the aforesaid small islands, and the main 
island, is passages only for small boats; and as they seemed plac¬ 
ed by nature, for the protection of the port, when considered ei¬ 
ther as affording shelter from the winds and sea, or as suitable 
situations for batteries, I shall hereafter call them the Centinels. 
On entering the bay I rounded the E. Centinel, within one and 
a half ship’s length of the shore, and obtained sounding in thirty- 
five fathoms water, clear, sandy bottom: the water was perfectly 
clear, no danger was to be seen; the wind was blowing out of the 
harbour; and I believed it to be of sufficient width, to enable us 
to work up to the bottom of the bay, which appeared to be about 
four miles deep. I was soon, however, convinced that I was de¬ 
ceived in my calculations; for although there was sufficient room, 
had the breeze been steady to have worked up, yet it was imprac¬ 
ticable to do so, from the flaws so frequently changing their di¬ 
rection; and at one moment blowing fresh, while the next would 
prove a dead calm, and thus render a ship perfectly unmanagea¬ 
ble with her sails: I therefore, let go the anchor at the mouth, in 
thirty fathoms water, to wait for a more favourable time for run¬ 
ning in, and directed my prizes to lay off and on the port until we 
could get the frigate secured. Shortly after anchoring, we dis¬ 
covered a boat coming from the shore, with three white men in 
her, one of whom w'as perfectly naked, with the exception of a 
cloth about his loins; and as his body was all over tattooed, I could 
not doubt his having been a long time on this, or some other island. 
I supposed them to be seamen, who had deserted from some ves¬ 
sels here, and under this impression would neither permit them 
to come along side of the ship, nor allow any person to have any 
conversation with them: my mind was prejudiced against them; 
I was provoked to find such characters, as I expected them to be, 
in a place where I had least expected to find any but the na 
fives. I apprehended much trouble from them; and, in a moment 
VOL. XI. 
