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Rh 1. That the Land from Sierraleon, excepting two or three Capes, and that about Drewin, appears low, and the first Land you see (as the Irishman says) is Trees; runs very streight without Bays or Inlets, which makes it difficult to distinguish, and impossible for us to land safely at; the Surff breaking all along to a great height, by means of a continued Swell from a vast Southern Ocean; a Sea which the Natives only understand, and can push their Canoos through. This Seems a natural Prohibition to Strangers, and whence it follows in respect to Trade, that Ships are obliged to send their Boats with Goods near Shore, where the Natives meet them, and barter for Slaves, Gold, and Ivory; for at many places a Grandee Shippee (as they call it) affrights them, and they will venture then, as I imagine they can swim.

2. The Ground is very tough, our Consort and we losing three Anchors in heaving a Purchase; we stopping at Nights for fear of over-shooting Places of Trade.

3. We find pretty equal Soundings, about 14 Fathom Water, a League from Shore, unless at one noted place, a Lusus Naturæ called the bottomless Pit, 7 Leagues below Jaque a Jaques, where the Depth is all at once unfathomable, and about three Miles over.

The great Sir ''Is. Newton'', in his calculating the Force of Gravity, says, Bodies decrease in their Weight, and Force of their