The next Day, being the 15th, Monsieur _de la Sale_ sent some Men ashore, to try whether we could fill some Casks with Water. They brought Word, they had found some in the Wood, which was not much amiss, but that there was no Conveniency for rowling of the Casks; for which Reason Rundlets were sent, and as much Water brought in them, as fill’d six or seven of our Water Casks.
[Sidenote: _Mistake in Monsieur_ Tonti’s _Account of the Voyage_.]
The same Men reported, that they had found a glass Bottle, and in it a little Wine, or some other Liquor, almost dead. This was all the Provision we found in that Place, by which it appears, how much Monsieur _Tonti_ was misinform’d, since in his Book, _Pag._ 242, he says, we found in that Island several Tun of _Spanish_ Wine, good Brandy and _Indian_ Wheat, which the _Spaniards_ had left or abandon’d; and it is a meer Invention without any Thing of Truth.
The 16th, the Weather being still Calm, the Men went ashore again for five or six more Casks of Water. I was to have gone with them, had not an Indisposition, which I first felt in the Island of _Pines_, and afterwards turn’d to a tertian Ague, prevented me. Therefore I can give no Account of that Island, any further than what I could see from the Ships, which was Abundance of that Sort of Palm-Trees, in French call’d _Lataniers_, fit for nothing but making of Brooms, or scarce any other Use. That day we saw some Smoaks, far within the Island, and guess’d they might be a Signal of the Number of our Ships, or else made by some of the Country Hunters, who had lost their Way.
The next Night preceding the 17th, the Wind freshning from the _N. W._ and starting up all on a sudden, drove the Vessel call’d _la Belle_ upon her Anchor, so that she came foul of the Boltsprit of the _Aimable_, carrying away the Spritsail-Yard and the Spritsail-Top-Sail-Yard, and had not they immediately veer’d out the Cable of the _Aimable_, the Vessel _la Belle_ would have been in danger of perishing, but escap’d with the Loss of her Mizen, which came by the Board, and of about a hundred Fathoms of Cable and an Anchor.
The 18th, the Wind being fresh, we made ready, and sail’d about Ten in the Morning, standing _North_ and _N._ and by _W._ and held our Course till Noon; the Point of Cape St. _Anthony_ bearing _East_ and _West_ with us, and so continu’d steering _North-West_, till the 19th at Noon, when we found our selves in the Latitude of 22 Degrees 58 minutes _North_, and in 287 Degrees 54 Minutes Longitude.