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 164 dampier's voyages.

here being no channel for them, and the tides running so strong. We saw some sharks and paracootSj and with hooks and lines we caught some rock fish and old wives. Of shell fish here were oysters, both of the common kind for eating and of the pearl kind ; and also wilks, conchs, muscles, limpits, perriwinkles, etc. ; and I gather'd a few strange shells, chiefly a sort not large, and thick-set all about with rays or spikes growing in rows.

And thus, having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, without finding any good fresh water or any con- venient place to clean the ship, as I had hop'd for ; and it being, moreover, the heighth of the dry season, and my men growing scorbutick for want of refreshments, so that I had little incouragement to search further ; I resolved to leave this coast, and accordingly in the beginning of September set sail towards Timor.