EXTRACT FROM SLOAN MS. 3236, ENTITLED "THE
ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM DAMPIER, WITH
OTHERS [1686-87], WHO LEFT CAPTAIN
SHERPE IN THE SOUTH SEAS,
AND TRAVALED BACK OVER LAND THROUGH THE COUNTRY OF
DARIEN," pp. 445 to 450.
Wee stood away to the southward, intending to see New Holland, and mett nothing worth observing till the first day December 1687-88. of December, and then, being in latit. 13° 50′, wee were close aboard a showle, which wee lay by for in the night; it lyes S. by W. from the N.W. end of Timore about seventy leagues. Wee steered to weather it but could not, therefore bore away to the eastward of it; it lyes in a triangle, with many sharp rocks about water, and on the south side is a small spitt of land.
This showle is laid downe within twenty leagues of New Holland due south, but wee made our course south, yett run into latitude 16° 50′ before wee made land, which is forty odd leagues; so that by our runn, except wee had a current against us, which wee did not perceive. New Holland is laid downe nearer then it should be to those islands in the south seas by forty leagues.
The fourth day of January 1687-88 wee fell in with the land of New Holland in latitude 16° 50′, the land low and a deepe sandy bay, but no shelter for us, therefore wee runn downe along the shore which lyes N.E. by E., about twelve
