upwards of fifty pounds. It was divided, but most part of it thrown overboard, and some dried shark supplied its place for a Sunday's dinner, for it was nothing but skin and bone.

"The day continued fine, and we stood along the land, crossing the Strait of Le Maire. As soon as we were clear of Staten Land, it set in bad weather. We got the top-gallant masts down, and made everything ready for it. The appearance of the country is rugged and barren. We saw here vast numbers of seals, penguins, shags, and white and black albatrosses-some of the white we caught, which made an excellent meal. Some of them measured upwards of eight feet from tip to tip of their wings. The black ones we called padres, but never caught any of them. We tried for fish, but without success.

"The weather becoming very sharp as we stood to the southward, the people requested that they might have their rum without water. This was readily agreed to, as the water was saved by it, and the allowance of water was now reduced to three pints per day. This allowance, in such weather as we had, was more than sufficient, for we had no method of using it otherwise than as drink, and this indulgence was not lost on the seamen, whose spirits seemed to have an additional flow from it. They thought nothing of hardship, and notwithstanding fatigue and increasing bad weather, they carried on the duty with alacrity and cheerfulness, anticipating the pleasure and profit they hoped to reap by the success of the voyage.

"Wheat and barley were now boiled every morning

for breakfast instead of burgoo, but the quantity was so small that it was no uncommon thing for four men in a mess to draw lots for the breakfast, and to divide their bread by the well-known method of 'Who shall have this?'

"The quantity of wheat boiled was one gallon for 44 men, of which they all partook, and of barley two pounds for the like number. The division of this. scanty allowance caused frequent broils in the galley, and in the present bad weather they were sometimes attended with serious consequences. In one of these disputes the cook, Thomas Hall, got two of his ribs. broken; and at another time Charles Churchill's hand was scalded; and it became at last necessary to have the master's mate of the watch to superintend the division of the food. The weather continued to grow worse daily; hail, rain, sleet, and snow,—or rather large flakes of half-formed ice,—alternately following each other in heavy squalls, which often reduced us to bare poles and battened hatches, as the sea made fair breaches over us. The surgeon and three men were very much injured by being thrown into the cockpit, as the vessel rolled so terribly. Yet, notwithstanding the severity and inclemency of the season, the continued gales and repeated squalls, such was the alacrity and carefulness of officers and men that we never lost a spar or a yard of canvas, though frequently forced to take the sails in after loosing them, before the tacks could be hauled on board or the sheets aft.

"Sweetwort was now made from malt, and a pint a man served hot every day, which was very acceptable

and nourishing in our present condition.

But the

intense cold, and being continually wet, the hard duty and continual fatigue, the rigorous season, together with the uncomfortable condition of the men between decks (always filled with smoke), and the hatches battened down, soon began to attack our constitutions. and several fell sick. The straining of the ship (though perfectly sound), and the hammocks being always wet, made it very uncomfortable not only for the sick but also for those in health.

"As the people began to fall sick the duty became heavier on those who were well, but was still carried on with alacrity and spirit; and the behaviour of the seamen in this trying situation was such as merited the entire approbation of the officers, and Mr. Bligh's public thanks.

"After a fatiguing and ineffectual trial, it was found that the passage round Cape Horn was not practicable at this season of the year. Though we had reached the 62nd degree of S. latitude and 79th of W. longitude, yet we found that we lost ground, although the ship was an excellent sea-boat.

"On the 18th of April Mr. Bligh ordered the hands aft, and after returning them his thanks for their unremitting attention to their duty, informed them of his intention to bear away for the Cape of Good Hope, as it appeared to him an impossibility to get round Cape Horn. This was received with great joy, and the ship was instantly put before the wind.

"In the evening the wind veered to the north-west, which induced Lieutenant Bligh to haul up on the

starboard tack and try again to get round Cape Horn, although we had run nearly 120 miles to the eastward. But these flattering appearances soon vanished, for the wind shifted again to the west and blew with redoubled fury, and we again bore away on the 22nd for the Cape of Good Hope.

"After we bore away, the hatches were opened, which till now had almost constantly been battened down. By airing and drying the ship between decks the sick recovered fast, and the more so as we got into a more temperate climate. We could not find the Isles of Tristan d'Acunha according to their situation on the chart, though we hove-to part of a night for that purpose.

May. We made the Cape on the 23rd of May, and anchored in Table Bay on the 25th. Here we found several Dutch and French ships, and soon after the Hon. East India Company's ship 'Dublin' arrived and watered here.

"Fresh provisions were now procured, with soft bread and wine for present use.

"The seine was hauled with various success, and we caught several fine fish with hook and line, called Romans and Hottentots, and a few seals on Seal Island, where these animals resort in great numbers and bask in the sun. As the island is an entire rock it affords shelter for no animals but the seals and sea-fowl, with which it abounds.

"While we remained in Simon's Bay the ship was refitted, the rigging overhauled, and the sails repaired. The armourer set to work to make new hinges for the

The

weather-boards, which had been washed away. carpenter and his mates, with two Dutch caulkers, caulked the sides. We painted the ship and refitted the weather-boards.

66

Everything being completed as regarded supplies and all damages repaired by the 1st July, we sailed, and stood to the eastward with a fine breeze. As we edged to the southward the wind increased to a fresh gale, which continued with little alteration. We passed close by St. Paul, a high and barren island, with but very few trees and shrubs; but this was the middle of winter, and a heavy gale coming on prevented any further examination. We arrived at Adventure Bay, in New Holland, without any material accident, on the 2nd or 3rd of September, where we wooded and watered, and sailed about the middle of the same month for Tahiti.

"While we were at Adventure Bay bread was served out at full allowance, and water-gruel boiled for breakfast; but, as we put to sea, we returned to the former short allowance, and here also were sown the seeds of eternal discord between Lieutenant Bligh and some of his officers, whom he accused of inattention to their duties, which was a cause of great annoyance. also put the carpenter in confinement.

He

"Soon after we sailed a group of small islands to the eastward of New Zealand were discovered, which were called the Bounty Islands.

"October. Some symptoms of scurvy made their appearance, and weakness and debility began to be observed throughout the ship's company; but essence