the attack, and returned towards the shore, leaving us to reflect on our unhappy situation.

'We were now sailing along the west side of the island Tofoa, and my mind was employed in considering what was best to be done, when I was solicited by all hands to take them towards home: and, when I told them no hopes of relief for us remained, but what I might find at New Holland, until I came to Timor, a distance of full 1200 leagues, where was a Dutch settlement, but in what part of the island I knew not, they all agreed to live on one ounce of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, per day. Therefore, after examining our stock of provisions, and recommending this as a sacred promise for ever to their memory, we bore away across a sea, where the navigation is but little known, in a small boat, twenty-three feet long from stem to stern, deep laden with eighteen men; without a chart, and nothing but my own recollection and general knowledge of the situation of places, assisted by a book of latitudes and longitudes, to guide us. I was happy, however, to see every one better satisfied with our situation in this particular than myself.

Our stock of provisions consisted of about 150 pounds of bread, twenty-eight gallons of water, twenty pounds of pork, three bottles of wine, and five quarts of rum. The difference between this and the quantity we had on leaving the ship, was owing to loss in the bustle and confusion of the attack. A few cocoa-nuts were in the boat, and some bread-fruit, but the latter was trampled to pieces.

It was about eight o'clock at night when I bore away under a reefed lug fore-sail: and, having divided the people. into watches, and got the boat in a little order, we returned God thanks for our miraculous preservation, and, fully confident of his gracious support, I found my mind more at ease than for some time past.

'At day-break the gale increased; the sun rose very fiery and red, a sure indication of a severe gale of wind. - At eight it blew a violent storm, and the sca ran very high, so that between the seas the sail was becalmed, and when on the top of the sea it was too much to have set: but I was obliged to

carry to it, for we were now in very imminent danger and distress, the sea curling over the stern of the boat, which obliged us to bale with all our might. A situation more distressing has, perhaps, seldom been experienced.

"Our bread was in bags, and in danger of being spoiled by the wet to be starved to death was inevitable, if this could not be prevented: I therefore began to examine what clothes there were in the boat, and what other things could be spared; and, having determined that only two suits should be kept for each person, the rest was thrown overboard, with some rope and spare sails, which lightened the boat considerably, and we had made room to bale the water out. Fortunately the carpenter had a good chest in the boat, into which I put the bread the first favourable moment. His tool chest also was cleared, and the tools stowed in the bottom of the boat, so that this became a second convenience. I now served a teaspoonful of rum to each person, (for we were very wet and cold) with a quarter of a bread-fruit, which was scarce eatable, for dinner; but our engagement was now strictly to be carried into execution, and I was fully determined to make what provisions I had last eight weeks, let the daily proportion be ever so small.'

The boat left the island of Tofoa, on the third of May. On the seventh, they were chased by two large canoes; and on the ninth, the weather having become more moderate, we cleaned out the boat,' says Mr. Bligh, and it employed us till sun-set to get every thing dry and in order. Hitherto I had issued the allowance by guess, but I now got a pair of scales, made with two cocoa-nut shells; and, having accidentally some pistol-balls in the boat, twenty-five of which weighed one pound, or sixteen ounces, I adopted one, as the proportion of weight that each person should receive of bread at the times I served it. I also amused all hands, with describing the situation of New Guinea and New Holland, and gave them every information in my power, that in case any accident happened to me, those who survived might have some idea of what they were about, and be able to find their way to Timor,

which at present they knew nothing of, more than the name, and some not that.

About nine o'clock in the evening, the clouds began to gather, and we had a prodigious fall of rain, with severe thunder and lightning. By midnight we had caught about twenty gallons of water. Being miserably wet and cold, I served to each person a tea-spoonful of rum, to enable them to bear with their distressed situation. The weather continued extremely bad, and the wind increased; we spent a very miserable night, without sleep, but such as could be got in the midst of rain. The day brought us no relief but its light. The sea was constantly breaking over us, which kept two persons baling; and we had no choice how to steer, for we were obliged to keep before the waves to avoid filling the boat.'

On the 13th, continues our narrator, as I saw no prospect of getting our clothes dried, I recommended it to every one to strip, and wring them through the salt water, by which means they received a warmth, that, while wet with rain they, could not have, and we were less liable to suffer from colds or rheumatic complaints. On the 16th, the night was very dark, not a star to be seen to steer by, and the sea breaking constantly over us. I found it necessary to act as much as possible against the southerly winds, to prevent being driven too near New Guinea; for in general we were forced to keep so much before the sea, that if we had not, at intervals of moderate weather, steered a more southerly course, we should inevitably, from a continuance of the gales, have been thrown in sight of that coast: in which case there would most probably have been an end to our voyage.

Monday, May the 18th. Fresh gales with rain, and a dark dismal night, wind S. E.; the sea constantly breaking over us, and nothing but the wind and sea to direct our steerage. I now fully determined to make New Holland, to the southward of Endeavour straits, sensible that it was necessary to preserve such a situation as would make a southerly wind a fair one; that I might range the reefs until an opening should be found into smooth water, and we the sooner be able to pick

up some refreshments. In the morning the rain abated, when we stripped, and wrung our clothes through the sea-water, as usual, which refreshed us wonderfully. Every person complained of violent pain in their bones: I was only surprised that no one was yet laid up. Served one 25th of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, at supper, breakfast, and dinner, as customary.

Tuesday, May the 19th. Fresh gales at E. N. E., with heavy rain, and dark gloomy weather, and no sight of the sun, We past this day miserably wet and cold, covered with rain and sea, from which we had no relief, but at intervals by pulling off our clothes and wringing them through the sea water. In the night we had very severe lightning, but otherwise it was so dark that we could not see each other. The morning produced many complaints on the severity of the weather, and I would gladly have issued my allowance of rum, if it had not appeared to me that we were to suffer much more, and that it was necessary to preserve the little I had, to give relief at a time we might be less able to bear such hardships.

• Wednesday, May the 20th. At dawn of day, some of my people seemed half dead: our appearances were horrible; and I could look no way, but I caught the eye of some one in distress. Extreme hunger was now too evident, but no one suffered from thirst, nor had we much inclination to drink, that desire, perhaps, being satisfied through the skin. The little sleep we got was in the midst of water, and we constantly awoke with severe cramps and pains in our bones. This morning I served about two tea-spoonfuls of rum to each person, and the allowance of bread and water, as usual. At noon the sun broke out and revived every one.

Friday, May the 22d. Our situation this day was extremely calamitous. We were obliged to take the course of the sea, running right before it, and watching with the utmost care, as the least error in the helm would in a moment have been our destruction. The sea was continually breaking all over us; but, as we suffered not such cold as when wet with the rain, I only served the common allowance of bread and water. VOL. IV. 3 F

Monday, May the 25th. This afternoon we had many birds about us, which are never seen far from land, such as boobies and noddies. About three o'clock the sea began to run fair, and we shipped but little water, I therefore determined to know the exact quantity of bread I had left; and on examining found, according to my present issues, sufficient for twenty-nine days allowance. In the course of this time I hoped to be at Timor; but, as that was very uncertain, and perhaps after all we might be obliged to go to Java, I determined to proportion my issues to six weeks. I therefore fixed, that every person should receive one twenty-fifth of a pound of bread for breakfast, and one twenty-fifth of a pound for dinner; so that by omitting the proportion for supper, I had forty-three days allowance. At noon some noddies came so near to us, that one of them was caught by hand. This bird is about the size of a small pigeon. I divided it, with its entrails, into eighteen portions, and by the method of, Who shall have this ? it was distributed with the allowance of bread and water for dinner, and eat up bones and all, with salt water for sauce.

To make our bread a little savoury we frequently dipped it in salt water; but for my own part I generally broke mine into small pieces, and eat it in my allowance of water, out of a cocoa-nut shell, with a spoon, economically avoiding to take too large a piece at a time, so that I was as long at dinner as if it had been a much more plentiful meal.

Wednesday, May the 27th. We passed much drift wood, and saw many birds; I therefore did not hesitate to pronounce that we were near New Holland,† and assured every one I would make the coast without delay, in the parallel we were

One person turns his back on the object that is to be divided: another then points separately to the portions, at each of them asking aloud, Who shall have this?' to which the first answers by naming somebody. This impartial method of division gives every man an equal chance of the best share.

+ Captain Cook explored the strait which divides Papua or New Guinea from New Holland; and the Pandora, frigate, which was sent out to seize the mutineer's belonging to captain Bligh's ship, was lost here. It is 1200 miles long, and 300 broad. The aspect of these people is frightful and hideous; the men are stout in