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[Page 2]
from the East Coast of New Holland to the Molucca Islands -- as follows is an exact of Bristows Letter respecting the Island: he has not sent us any Chart of it, when he does, I will with your permission wait on you with it. Extract as follows
"I anchored in Sarah's (the Ships Name) Bosom, a most capacious safe Harbour in the N.E. part of the Island on the 20th Oct: 1807 and staid there till the 19th Dec: there are 7 Islands, altogether about 20 Leagues in circumference, and the Eastern side abounds with Wood & Water with 2 Capital Harbours, the one abovementioned, and Adam's Straits entering from the Eastward in the Southern extremity, besides these there are several Inlets a ship may Anchor in on the East side, but they are all open to the Easterly Winds, and most very deep Water. -- The Western side produces neither Wood or Anchoring birth, an up and down Iron bound shore: there is a Rock with high Breakers, about four Leagues to the North of the Island, and a Reef runs into the Sea on the East side about 5 Miles very dangerous. In Sarah's Bosom a Ship may Water & Wood very conveniently, but the Trees though many of them are from 30 to 40 feet long and proportional in circumference, are so twisted and turned with the raging Winds it is difficult to find a strait piece of 8 or 10 Feet: there are four or five sorts of Wood, but the greatest part is Mangrove as hard as the Rocks along shore: the Island is in 50.48 South Lat. & 166.42 East Long.: the Harbour will hold 2000 Sail of Ships, they found a few Hair (not Fur) Seals, but did not take any."
In the Spring of last Year finding the Price of Seal Skins very high, we fitted out two small vessels the Swan of 153