78
could scarcely be called land breezes, so much did they hold to the southward. In my return, therefore, I was generally very close to the shore, often not many fathoms from it, and must, in consequence, have observed any openings or inlets that might have escaped me before. This closer examination, however, only showed me a greater number of rocks, reefs, and breakers, with which, I may say, the coast is universally lined. There are numberless entrances, and constant shelter inside, but the openings and anchorages are dangerous, from the number of isolated and hidden rocks, which rise abruptly from a depth of some fathoms, to within a few feet of the surface. With the greatest precaution, being seldom without two persons on the look out, the vessel sometimes touched on some of them, but never to hurt. It required, too, the utmost diligence to keep out of the breakers, for it is a well known fact, and we had proof of it, that an interval of many minutes occur between the breakers; and unless the place be observed for a long time, one is not always safe in standing on. I landed only on six different places of the mainland, all of which were sandy and rocky limestone; the beach I always found and observed to be good for boat landing, generally sandy, with only a few rocky heads at long distances from each other; the surf was always very slight, not so high as to injure any boat. I remarked some places where water had stood on the surface, and, by digging, found it to be salt. At one place only, did I find fresh water by digging, and then not of the best quality. The islands which I saw are of the same appearance as Carnac, and produce similar vegetation. Several smokes were observed inland, about
