All that could be taken Notice of was a great Quantity of Wood along the Coast. We took an Observation and found 29 Degrees 10 Minutes of North Latitude.
The Second, there arose a Fog, which made us lose Sight of the Joly. The next Day, the Weather clearing up, we fir'd some Cannon-shot and the Joly answer'd, and towards the Evening we perceiv'd her to the Windward of us. We held on our Course, making several Trips till the Fourth in the Evening, when being in Sight and within two Leagues of the Land, we came to an Anchor to expect the Joly, for which we were in Pain.
Monsieur Joutel believes here was one of the Mouths of the Missisipi. See the Pref. and what follows. The Fifth, we set Sail and held on our Course W. S. W. keeping along the Shore till about Six in the Evening, when we stood away to the Southward and anchor'd at Night in six Fathom Water. The Sixth, we would have made ready to sail, but the Pilot perceiving, that the Sea broke astern of us, and that there were some Shoals, it was thought proper to continue at Anchor, till the Wind chang'd, and we accordingly staid there the Sixth and all the Seventh. The Eighth the Wind veering about, we stood out a little to Sea, to avoid those Shoals, which are very dangerous, and anchor'd again a League from thence. Upon Advice, that the Bark la Belle had discover'd a small Island, which appear'd between the two Points of a Bay, Monsieur de la Sale sent a Man up to the round Top, from whence both the one and the other were plainly to be seen, and according to the Sea Charts we had with us, that was suppos'd to be the Bay of the Holy Ghost.
The Ninth, Monsieur de la Sale, sent to view those Shoals. Those who went reported there was a sort of Bank, which runs along the Coast; that they had been in one Fathom Water and discover'd the little Island beforemention'd, and as for the Sand Bank there is no such thing mark'd down in the Charts. Monsieur de la Sale having examin'd the Recknings, was confirm'd in his Opinion, that we were in the Bay of Apalache, and caus'd us to continue the same Course.
