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An. 1681

The Isle of St. Andreas.

lay up Carpenter's River, which is about 60 leagues to the Westward of Portabell. Our greatest obstructi- on in this design was our want of Boats: Therefore it was concluded to go with all our Fleet to St. An- dreas, a small uninhabited Island, lying near the Isle of Providence, to the Westward of it, in 13 Deg. 15 Min. North Lat. and from Portabell N. N. W. about 70 leagues; where we should be but a little way from Carpenter's River. And besides, at this Island we might build Canoas, it being plentifully stored with large Cedars for such a purpose; and for this reason the Jamaica-men come hither frequently to build Sloops; Cedar being very fit for building, and it being to be had here at free-cost, beside other Wood. Jamaica is well stored with Cedars of its own, chiefly among the Rocky Mountains: these also of St. Andreas grow in stony ground, and are the largest that ever I knew or heard of; the Bo- dies alone being ordinarily 40 or 50 foot long, ma- ny 60 or 70, and upwards, and of a proportionable bigness. The Bermudas Isles are well stored with them; so is Virginia, which is generally a sandy foil. I saw none in the East Indies, nor in the South Sea Coast, except on the Isthmus as I came over it. We reckon the Pereago's and Canoa's that are made of Ce- dar to be the best of any; they are nothing but the Tree itself made hollow Boat-wise, with a flat bot- tom, and the Canoa generally sharp at both ends, the Pereago at one only, with the other end flat. But what is commonly said of Cedar, that the Worm will not touch it, is a mistake, for I have seen of it very much worm-eaten.

All things being thus concluded on, we sailed from hence, directing our course toward St. Andreas. We kept company the first day, but at night it blew a hard gale at N. E. and some of our Ships bore away: The next day others were forced to leave us, and the second night we lost all our company. I was