fathoms water, white sand. We saw several flocks of ducks and geese going to the southward. A smooth sea, but great swell. There is no harbor all along this coast, from Cape Charles till you come to the mouth of the Bay of Delaware, which goes up to Philadelphia.
21st.—Wind N. E. till one of the clock, and then it came about N. W., and blew very hard, so we sounded, and found but ten fathoms water. The wind continued to blow, so we came to an anchor, and about four we saw a sloop coming from the sea. She came to an anchor by us. Here we remained all night, and the wind blew very hard, still in sight of the land, and somewhat to the northward of Delaware Bay. There are great banks of sand lie off here, which are very dangerous. We can see the breakers on them.
22d.—In the morning about seven of the clock we raised our anchor, and set our sails, wind at N. W., a stiff gale and great sea, and about 12 of the clock we split our jib and foresail. At three we were up with Sandy Hook, which is the cape land of New-York port. The land is low and sandy with few trees upon it. About sunset we came to an anchor under Sandy Hook, in seven fathoms water, and three miles from shore.
23d.—In the sloop at anchor under Sandy Hook. The weather was so foggy all day that we could not see the shore, nor landmarks, so we could not hoist our anchor, for this is a very dangerous bay to come up without one has fair weather to see the landmarks. There are several banks and shoals of sand which are very dangerous. There is a great deal of water fowl of all sorts on these shoals. I observe that the ducks and geese are sooner here than with us in Virginia.
24th.—Calm weather, but such a fog that we could not
