in, and range the reef till I found an opening, through which we might get into smooth water,and pick up some supplies. Thursday, May the 28th. At one in the morning the person at the helm heard the sound of breakers, and I no sooner lifted up my head, then I saw them close under our lee, not more then a quarter of a mile distant from us. I immediately hauled on a wind to the N. N. E., and in ten minutes time we could neither see nor hear them. In the morning, at day-light, I bore away again for the reefs, and saw them by nine o'clock. The sea broke furiously over every part, and I had no sooner got near to them, than the wind came at E., so that we could only lie along the line of breakers, within which we saw the water so smooth, that every person already anticipated the heart-felt satisfaction he would receive, as soon as we could get within them. But I now found we were embayed, for I could not lie clear with my sails, the wind having backed against us, and the sea set in so heavy towards the reef that our situation was become dangerous. We could but effect little with the oars, having scarce strength to pull them; and it was becoming every miuute more and more probable that we should be obliged to attempt pushing over the reef, in case we could not pull off. Even this I did not despair of effecting with success, when happily we discovered a break in the reef, about one mile from us, and at the same time an island of a moderate height within it, nearly in the same direction, bearing W. N. I entered the body, their skin of a shining black, rough, and often disfigured with marks like those occasioned by the leprosy; their eyes are very large, their noses flat, mouth from ear to ear, their lips amazingly thick, especially the upper lip; their hair woolly, either a shining black or fiery red: M. Sonnerat imagines the last to be owing to some powder. It is dressed in a vast bush, so as to resemble a mop; some are three feet in circumference, the least two and a half: in this they stick their comb, consisting of four or five diverging teeth, with which they occasionally dress their frizzled locks to give them a greater bulk; they sometimes ornament them with feathers of the birds of paradise; others add to their deformity by boring their noses, and passing through them rings, pieces of bone, or sticks; and many, by way of ornament, hạng round their necks the tusks of boars. The heads of the women are of less size than those of the men, and in their left ears they wear small brass rings. The men go naked, excepting a small wrapper round their waists, made of the fibres of the cocoa, Annexed is a correct engraving of a Papuan boy. passage with a strong stream running to the westward, and found it about a quarter of a mile broad, with every appearance of deep water.' Friday, May the 29th. They entered a fine sandy bay, and soon found oysters on the rocks, and plenty of fresh water. 'Among the few things which had been thrown into the boat and saved, was a piece of brimstone and a tinder-box, so that I secured fire for the future. One of my people had been so provident as to bring away with him a copper pot: it was by being in possession of this article that I was enabled to make. a proper use of the supply we found, for, with a mixture of bread and a little pork, I made a stew that might have been relished by people of more delicate appetites, of which each person received a full pint. The general complaints of disease among us, were a dizziness in the head, great weakness of the joints, and violenttenesmus, most of us having had no evacuation by stool since we left the ship. I had constantly a severe pain at my stomach; but none of our complaints were alarming; on the contrary, every one retained marks of strength, that, with a mind possessed of any fortitude, could bear more fatigue than I hoped we had to undergo in our voyage to Timor.' The traces of animals and men were discovered on the island. Its latitude was found to be 12 deg. 39 min. S. Having got a quantity of oysters and nearly sixty gallons of water, Mr. Bligh sailed on the 31st of May. He again landed on the first of June, when Mr. Nelson grew very ill, with weakness, loss of sight, and giddiness; but, on receiving a glass of wine, he recovered a little. After touching at several islands, he reached the termination of the rocks and shoals of New Holland, and then again launched into the open ocean with great confidence. After sailing for a few days in very rough weather, Mr. Bligh says, I now remarked that Mr. Ledward, the surgeon, and Lawrence Lebogue, an old hardy seaman, were giving way very fast. I could only assist them by a tea-spoonful or two of wine, which I had carefully saved, expecting such a melancholy necessity. Among most of the others I observed more than a common inclination to sleep, which seemed to indicate that nature was almost exhausted. For my own part, a great share of spirits, with the hopes of being able to accomplish the voyage, seemed to be my principal support; but the boatswain very innocently told me, that he really thought I looked worse than any one in the boat. The simplicity with which he uttered such an opinion diverted me, and I had good humour enough to return him a better compliment. At three in the morning, with an excess of joy, we discovered Timor bearing from W. S. W. to W. N. W., and I hauled on a wind to the N. N. E. till day-light, when the land bore from S. W. by S. about two leagues to N. E. by N. seven leagues. It is not possible for me to describe the pleasure which the blessing of the sight of land diffused among us. It appeared scarce credible, that in an open boat, and so poorly provided, that we should have been able to reach the coast of Timor in forty-one days after leaving Tofoa, having in that time run, by our log, a distance of 3618 miles, and that, notwithstanding our extreme distress, no one should have perished in the voyage.' They coasted the island for two days in search of the European settlement; captain Bligh opposing every proposition to land, lest the natives perceiving their helpless condition, should fall upon them. At last they procured a native pilot to carry them to Coupang. At night,' says captain Bligh, I came to a grapnel, and for the first time I issued double allowance of bread and a little wine to each person. At one o'clock in the morning, after the most happy and sweet sleep that ever men had, we weighed, and continued to keep the east shore on board, in very smooth water; when at last I found we were again open to the sea, the whole of the land to the westward, that we had passed, being an island, which the pilot called Pulo Samow. The northern entrance of this channel is about a mile and a half or two miles wide, and I had no ground at ten fathoms. "Hearing the report of two cannon that were fired, gave new life to every one; and soon after we discovered two |
