which was close to it and towards the main. I now landed to examine if there were any figns of the natives being near us; but though I difcovered fome old fire-places, I faw nothing to alarm me for our fituation during the night. Every one was anxious to find something to eat, and I foon heard that there were oysters on the rocks, for the tide was out; but it was nearly dark, and only a few could be gathered. I determined therefore to wait till the morning, to know how to proceed, and I confented that one half of us fhould fleep on fhore, and the other in the boat. We would gladly have made a fire, but, as we could not accomplish it, we took our reft for the night, which happily was calm and undisturbed. The dawn of day brought greater ftrength and spirits to us than I expected; for, notwithstanding every one was very weak, there appeared ftrength fufficient remaining to make me conceive the most favourable hopes of our being able to furmount the difficulties we might yet have to encounter. As foon as I faw that there were not any natives immediately near us, I fent our parties in fearch of fupplies, while others were putting the boat in order, that I might be ready to go to fea in cafe any unforeseen caufe might make it neceffary. The first object of this work, that demanded our attention, was the rudder: one of the gudgeons had come out, in the course of the night, and was loft. This, if it had happened at fea, would probably have been the cause of our perishing, as the management of the boat could not have been so nicely preferved as these very heavy feas required. I had often expreffed my fears of this accident, and, that we might be prepared for it, had taken the precaution to have grummets fixed on each quarter of the boat for oars; but even our utmost readiness in ufing them, I fear, would not have faved us. It appears, therefore, a providential circumftance, that it happened at this place, and was in our power to remedy the defect; for by great good luck we found a large ftaple in the boat that answered the purpose. The parties were now returned, highly rejoiced at having found plenty of oyfters and fresh water. I alfo had made a fire, by help of a fmall magnifying glass, that I always carried about me, to read off the divifions of my fextants; and, what was ftill more fortunate, among the few things which had been thrown into the boat and faved, was a piece of brimstone and a tinder-box, fo that I fecured fire for the future. One of my people had been fo provident as to bring away with him a copper pot: it was by being in poffeffion of this article that I was enabled to make a proper use of the fupply we found, for, with a mixture of bread and a little pork, I made a stew that might have been relifhed by people of more delicate appetites, of which each perfon received a full pint. The general complaints of disease among us, were a dizziness in the head, great weakness of the joints, and violent tenefmus, most of us having had no evacuation by ftool fince we left the fhip. I had conftantly a fevere pain at my ftomach; but none of our complaints were alarming; on the contrary, every one retained marks of strength, that with a mind poffeffed of any fortitude, could bear more fatigue than I hoped we had to undergo in our voyage to Timor. As I would not allow the people to expose themselves to the heat of 3 G 2 the the fun, it being near noon, every one took his allotment of earth, fhaded by the bushes, for a fhort fleep. The oysters we found grew fo faft to the rocks that it was with difficulty they could be broke off, and at last we discovered it to be the most expeditious way to open them where they were found. They were very fizeable, and well tafted, and gave us great relief. To add to this happy circumftance, in the hollow of the land there grew fome wire grafs, which indicated a moift fituation. On forcing a stick, about three feet long, into the ground, we found water, and with little trouble dug a well, which produced as much as we were in need of. It was very good, but I could not determine if it was a spring or not. I found evident figns of the natives reforting to this ifland; for, befides fire-places, I faw two miferable wigwams, having only one fide loofely covered. We found a pointed ftick, about three feet long, with a flit in the end of it, to fling ftones with, the fame as the natives of Van Diemen's land use. The track of fome animal was very discernible, and Mr. Nelson agreed with me that it was the Kanguroo; but how these animals can get from the main I know not, unless brought over by the natives to breed, that they may take them with more ease, and render a fupply of food certain to them; as on the continent the catching of them may be precarious, or attended with great trouble, in fo large an extent of Country. The island may be about two miles in circuit; it is a high lump of rocks covered with wood; but the trees are small, the foil, which is very indifferent and fandy, being barely fufficient to produce them. The trees that came within our knowledge were the machineal and a fpecies of purow: alfo fome palm-trees, the tops of which we cut down, and the foft interior part or heart of them was so palatable that it made a good addition to our mess. Mr. Nelfon difcovered fome fernroots, which I thought might be good roasted, as a substitute for bread, but it proved a very poor one: it however was very good in its natural ftate to allay thirst, and on that account I directed a quantity to be collected to take into the boat. Many pieces of cocoa-nut fhells and hufk were found about the fhore, but we could find no cocoa-nut trees, neither did I fee any like them on the main. I had cautioned every one not to touch any kind of berry or fruit that they might find; yet they were no fooner out of my fight than they began to make free with three different kinds, that grew all over the island, eating without any reserve. The fymptoms of having eaten too much, began at laft to frighten fome of them; but on queftioning others, who had taken a more moderate allowance, their minds were a little quieted. The others, however, became equally alarmed in their turn, dreading that fuch fymptoms would come on, and that they were all poisoned, so that they regarded each other with the strongest marks of apprehenfion, uncertain what would be the iffue of their imprudence. Happily the fruit proved wholesome and good. One fort grew on a small delicate kind of vine; they were the fize of a large gooseberry, and very like in fubftance, but had only a fweet tafte; the skin was a pale red, ftreaked with yellow the long way of the fruit; it was pleafant and agreeable. Another kind grew on bushes, like that which is called the fea-fide grape in the Weft Indies; but the fruit was very different, manner. different, and more like elder-berries, growing in clusters in the fame The third fort was a black berry, not in fuch plenty as the others, and resembled a bullace, or large kind of floe, both in fize and tafte. Seeing these fruits eaten by the birds made me confider them fit for use, and those who had already tried the experiment, not finding any bad effect, made it a certainty that we might eat of them without danger. Wild pigeons, parrots, and other birds, were about the fummit of the island, but, as I had no fire-arms, relief of that kind was not to be expected, unless I met with fome unfrequented spot where we might take them with our hands. The fhore of this island is very rocky, except the part we landed at, and here I picked up many pieces of pumice-ftone. On the part of the main next to us were several sandy bays, but at low-water they became an extensive rocky flat. The country had rather a barren appearance, except in a few places where it was covered with wood. I faw a few bees or wafps, feveral lizards, and the black-berry bushes were full of ants nefts, webbed as a spider's, but so close and compact as not to admit the rain. A trunk of a tree, about 50 feet long, lay on the beach; from whence I conclude a heavy fea runs in here with the northerly winds. I named this Restoration ifland; for I thought it probable that captain Cook might not have taken notice of it. May 30. Very fine weather, and ESS winds. This afternoon I fent parties out again to gather oyfters, with which and fome of the inner part of the palm-top, we made another good stew for fupper, each perfon receiving a full pint and a half; but I refufed bread to this meal, for I confidered our wants might yet be very great, and as fuch I represented the neceffity of faving our principal fupport whenever it was in our power. At night we again divided, and one half of us flept on fhore by a good fire. In the morning I discovered a visible alteration in every one for the better, and I fent them away again to gather oyfters. I had now only two pounds of pork left. This article, which I could not keep under lock and key as I did the bread, had been pilfered by fome inconfiderate perfon, but every one moft folemnly denied it; I therefore resolved to put it out of their power for the future, by sharing what remained for our dinner. While the party was out getting oysters, I got the boat in readiness for sea, and filled our vessels, which amounted to nearly 60 gallons. The party being returned, dinner was foon ready, and every one had as good an allowance as they had for fupper; for with the pork I gave an allowance of bread; and I was determined forthwith to push on. As it was not yet noon, I told every one that an exertion should be made to gather as many oyfters as poffible for a sea store, as I was determined to fail in the afternoon. May 31. Early in the afternoon, the people returned with the few oyfters they had time to pick up, and every thing was put into the boat. I then examined the quantity of bread remaining, and found 38 days allowance, according to the laft mode of iffuing a 25th of a pound at breakfast and at dinner. Being all ready for fea, I directed every person to attend prayers, and by four o'clock we were preparing to embark; when twenty natives appeared, running and holloaing to us, on the opposite shore. They were armed with a fpear or lance, and a fhort weapon which they carried in their left hand: they made figns. for for us to come to them. On the top of the hills we faw the heads of many more; whether these were their wives and children, or others who waited for our landing, until which they meant not to show themfelves, left we might be intimidated, I cannot fay; but, as I found we were discovered to be on the coast, I thought it prudent to make the best of my way, for fear of canoes; though, from the accounts of captain Cook, the chance was that there were very few or none of any confequence. I paffed these people as near as I could, which was within a quarter of a mile; they were naked, and apparently black, and their hair or wool bushy and short. Some At day-break I was exceedingly furprised to find the appearance of the country all changed, as if in the course of the night I had been tranfported to another part of the world; for we had now a miferable low fandy coaft in view, with very little verdure, or any thing to indicate that it was at all habitable to a human being, if I except fome patches of fmall trees or brufh-wood. I had many small islands in view to the NE, about fix miles diftant. Some of these were very pretty fpots, covered with wood, and well fituated for fifhing: large Thoals of fish were about us, but we could not catch any. As I was paffing this ftrait we faw another party of Indians, seven in number, running towards us, fhouting and making figns for us to land. of them waved green branches of the bushes which were near them, as a fign of friendship; but there were fome of their other motions less friendly. A larger party we faw a little farther off, and coming towards us. I therefore determined not to land, though I wifhed much to have some intercourse with these people; for which purpose I beckoned to them to come near me, and laid the boat clofe to the rocks; but not one would come within 200 yards of us. They were armed in the fame manner as those I had feen before, were stark naked, and appeared to be jet black, with fhort bushy hair or wool, and in every refpect the fame people. An illand of good height now bore NW, four miles from us, at which I refolved to see what could be got, and from thence to take a look at the coaft. At this ifle I landed about eight o'clock in the morning. The shore was rocky, with fome fandy beaches within the rocks: the water, however, was fmooth, and I landed without difficulty. I fent two parties out, one to the northward, and the other to the fouthward, to feek for fupplies, and others I ordered to stay by the boat. On this occafion their fatigue and weakness fo f got the better of their fenfe of duty, that fome of them began to mutter who had done most, and declared they would rather be without their dinner than go in fearch of it. One perfon, in particular, went fo far as to tell me, with a mutinous look, he was as good a man as myself. It was not poffible for me to judge where this might have an end, if not ftopped in time: I therefore determined to ftrike a final blow at it, and either to preserve my command, or die in the attempt and, feizing a cutlafs, I ordered him to take hold of another and defend himself; on which he called out I was going to kill him, and began to make conceffions. I did not allow this to interfere further with the har mony of the boat's crew, and every thing foon became quiet. : The parties continued collecting what could be found, which confifted of some fine oyfters and clams, and a few small dog-fish that were caught caught in the holes of the rocks. We alfo found about two tons of plenty. June 1. In the afternoon, we dined; each perfon having a full pint and a half of stewed oysters and clams, thickened with fmall beans, which Mr. Nelfon informed us were a fpecies of Dolichos. Having eaten heartily, and taken the water we were in want of, I failed for a key which I had seen in the NW by N, giving the name of Sunday island to the place I left: we arrived juft at dark, but found it fo furrounded by a reef of rocks, that I could not land without danger of staving the boat; and on that account I came to a grapnel for the night. At dawn of day we got on fhore, and tracked the boat into shelter for the wind blowing fresh without, and the ground being rocky, I was afraid to trust her at a grapnel, left fhe might be blown to sea : I was, therefore, obliged to let her ground in the courfe of the ebb. From appearances, I expected that if we remained till night we should meet with turtle, as we had already discovered recent tracks of them. Innumerable birds of the noddy kind made this island their refting-place; fo that I had reafon to flatter myfelf with hopes of getting fupplies in greater abundance than it had hitherto been in my power. The fituation was at least four leagues distant from the main. north-westernmoft of four small keys, which were furrounded by a reef of rocks connected by fand-banks, except between the two northernmost; and there likewife it was dry at low water; the whole forming a lagoon island, into which the tide flowed, at this entrance I kept the boat. As ufual, I fent parties away in fearch of supplies, but to our great difappointment, we could only get a few clams and fome dolichos: with these, and the oysters we had brought from Sunday Island, I made up a mefs for dinner, with an addition of a fmall quantity of bread. We were on the Towards noon, Mr. Nelson, and his party, who had been to the eafternmost key, returned; but himself in fuch a weak condition, that he was obliged to be fupported by two men. His complaint was a violent heat in his bowels, a lofs of fight, much drought, and an inability to walk. This I found was occafioned by his being unable to fup. port the heat of the fun, and that, when he was fatigued and faint, instead of retiring into the fhade to reft, he had continued to do more than his strength was equal to. It was a great fatisfaction to me to find, that he had no fever; and it was now that the little wine, which I had fo carefully faved, became of real ufe. I gave it in very fmall quantities, with fome fmall pieces of bread ioaked in it; and, having pulled off his cloaths, and laid him under some shady bushes, he began to recover. The boatswain and carpenter also were ill, and complained of head-ach, and fickness of the ftomach; others, who had not had any evacuation became shockingly diftreffed with the tenefmus; fo that there were but few |