Lowther cruiſed a pretty while among the Iſlands without any extraordinary Succeſs, and was reduced to a very ſmall Allowance of Proviſions, till they had the luck to fall in with a Martinico Man, which proved a ſeaſonable Relief to them; and after that, a Guiney Man had the ill Fortune to become a Prey to the Rovers; ſhe was called the Princeſs, Captain Wickſted Commander.
It was now thought neceſſary to look out for a Place to clean their Sloop in, and prepare for new Adventures: Accordingly the Iſland of Blanco was pitched upon for that Purpoſe, which lies in the Latitude of 11° 50 m. N. about 30 Leagues from the Main of the Spaniſh America, between the Iſlands of Margarita and Rocas, and not far from Tortuga. It is a low even Iſland, but healthy and dry, uninhabited, and about two Leagues in Circumference, with Plenty of Lignum Vitæ Trees thereon, growing in Spots, with ſhrubby Buſhes of other Wood about them. There are, beſides Turtle, great Numbers of Guanoes, which is an amphibious Creature like a Lizard, but much larger, the Body of it being as big as a Man’s Leg; they are very good to eat, and are much uſed by the Pyrates that come here: They are of divers Colours, but ſuch as live upon dry Ground, as here at Blanco, are commonly yellow. On the N. W. End of this Iſland, there is a ſmall Cove or ſandy Bay, all round the reſt of the Iſland is deep Water, and ſteep cloſe to the Iſland. Here Lowther reſorted to, the Beginning of October laſt, unrigged his Sloop, ſent his Guns, Sails, Rigging, &c. aſhore, and put his Veſſel upon the Careen. The Eagle Sloop of Barbadoes, belonging to the South-Sea Company, with 35 Hands, commanded by Walter Moore, coming near this Iſland, in her Voyage to Comena, on the Spaniſh Continent, ſaw the ſaid Sloop juſt careen’d, with her Guns out, and Sails unbent, which ſhe ſuppoſed to be a Pyrate,becauſe
