Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/92

 and, when within the ame ditance from the main land, they inclined to the Wetward: the weather was generally cloudy, and ometimes accompanied with an heavy, South Wet well, and at the change and full of the moon, with a drizzling rain.

On the tenth of July, P. M., we aw the Ile of Plata, bearing Eat North Eat, nine or ten leagues, and, on the following day, in the morning, we aw permaceti whales, but did not get up with them until the afternoon, the Ile Plata bearing Eat by South, at the ditance of five or ix leagues. One of them was truck, but the boat was accidentally tove to pieces, and we beat off for everal days, but never got another view of them.

The Ile Plata had been a favourite place of reort to the Buccaneers, it being mot conveniently ituated to watch the Plata fleets to and from Lima; but all traders, either to or from the coat of Mexico, or between Panama and the coat of Peru, make the land a little to the Northward of it. If we may believe the Buccaneers, this iland has plenty of water and turtle, and abounded with goats, till the Spaniards detroyed them. The watering and anchoring places are aid to be on the Eatern ide, in a mall andy bay, half a mile from the hore, in eighteen or twenty fathoms water.