But

be able to reach Timor. as this was very uncertain, and it was possible that, after all, we might be obliged to go to Java, I determined to proportion the allowance so as to make our stock hold out six weeks. I was apprehensive that this would be ill received, and that it would require my utmost resolution to enforce it; for small as the quantity was which I intended to take away for our future good, yet it might appear to my people like robbing them of life; and some who were less patient than their companions, I expected would very ill brook it. However, on my representing the necessity of guarding against delays that might be occasioned in our voyage by contrary winds or other causes, and promising to enlarge upon the allowance as we got on, they cheerfully agreed to my proposal. It was accordingly settled, that every person should receive one twenty-fifth of a pound of bread for breakfast, and the same quantity for dinner; so that, by omitting the proportion for supper, we had forty-three days' allowance.

In

and eaten up, bones and all, with salt water for sauce. the evening, several boobies flying very near to us, we had the good fortune to catch one of them. This bird is as large as a duck like the noddy, it has received its name from seamen, for suffering itself to be caught on the masts and yards of ships. They are the most presumptive proofs of being in the neighbourhood of land of any seafowl we are acquainted with. I directed the bird to be killed for supper, and the blood to be given to three of the people who were the most distressed for want of food. The body, with the entrails, beak, and feet, I divided into eighteen shares, and with an allowance of bread, which I made a merit of granting, we made a good supper compared with our usual fare.Tuesday, 26th.-Fresh breezes from the S. E., with fine weather. In the morning we caught another booby, so that Providence appeared to be relieving our wants in an extraordinary manner. Towards noon we passed a great many pieces of the branches of trees, some of which appeared to have been no long time in the water. The people were overjoyed at the addition to their dinner, which was distributed in the same manner as on the preceding evening, giving the blood to those who were the most in want of food. To make the bread a little savoury, most of the people frequently dipped

Y

it in salt water; but I generally broke mine into small pieces, and ate 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. The weather was now serene, which nevertheless was not without its inconveniences; for we began to feel distress of a different kind from that which we had lately been accustomed to suffer. The heat of the sun was so powerful, that several of the people were seized with a languor and faintness, which made life indifferent. We were so fortunate as to catch two boobies in the evening; their stomachs contained several flying fish and small cuttle fish, all of which I saved, to be divided for dinner the next day.-Wednesday, 27th.-A fresh breeze at E.S.E., with fair weather. We passed much drift - wood this forenoon, and saw many birds; I therefore did not hesitate to pronounce that we were near the reefs of New Holland. From my recollection of Captain Cook's survey of this coast, I considered the direction of it to be N.W., and I was therefore satisfied that, with the wind to the southward of E., I could always clear any dangers. At noon I divided the two birds, with their entrails, and the contents of their maws, into eighteen portions; and as the prize was a very valuable one, it was

divided as before, by calling out, "Who shall have this?" so that to-day, with the allowance of a twenty-fifth of a pound of bread at breakfast, and another at dinner, with the proportion of water, I was happy to see that every person thought he had feasted. In the evening we saw a gannet; and the clouds remained so fixed in the west, that I had little doubt of our being near the land. The people, after taking their allowance of water for supper, amused themselves with conversing on the probability of what we should find.

'Thursday, 28th.-At one in the morning, the person at the helm heard the sound of breakers; and I no sooner lifted up my head than I saw them close under our lee, not more than 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. I have already mentioned my reason for making New Holland so far to the southward; for I never doubted of numerous openings in the reef, through which I could have access to the shore; and knowing the inclination of the coast to be to the N.W., and the wind mostly to the southward of E., I could with ease range such a barrier of reefs till I should find a passage, which now be came absolutely necessary, without a moment's loss of time. The idea of getting into smooth water, and finding refreshments,

kept my people's spirits up; their joy was very great after we had got clear of the breakers, to which we had approached much nearer than I thought was possible without first discovering them. In the morning, at daylight, we could see nothing of the land or of the reefs. We bore away again, and at nine o'clock saw the reefs. The sea broke furiously over every part; and we had no sooner got near to them than the wind came at E, so that we could only lie along the line of the breakers, within which we saw the water so smooth, that every person already anticipated the heartfelt satisfaction he should receive as soon as we could get within them. I now found we were embayed; for we could not lie clear with sails, the wind having backed against us; and the sea set in so heavy towards the reef, that our situation was become unsafe. We could effect but little with the oars, having scarce strength to pull them; and I began to apprehend that we should be obliged to attempt pushing over the reef. 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 passage with a strong stream running to the westward, and found it about a quarter of a mile broad, with every appear

ance of deep water. On the outside, the reef inclined to the N.E. for a few miles, and thence to the N.W.; on the south side of the entrance, it inclined to the S.S.W. as far as I could see it; and I conjecture that a similar passage to this which we now entered, may be found near the breakers that I first discovered, which are twenty-three miles S. of this channel. Being now happily within the reefs, and in smooth water, I endeavoured to keep near them to try for fish; but the tide set us to the N.W. I therefore bore away in that direction; and having promised to land on the first convenient spot we could find, all our past hardships seemed already to be forgotten. We now returned God thanks for His gracious protection, and with much content took our miserable allowance of a twenty-fifth of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, for dinner. As we advanced within the reefs, the coast began to show itself very distinctly, in a variety of high and low land, some parts of which were covered with wood. In our way towards the shore, we fell in with a point of a reef which is connected with that towards the sea; and here we came to a grapnel, and tried to catch fish, but had no success. Two islands lay about four miles to the W. by N., and appeared eligible for a resting-place, if for nothing more; but on our approach to the nearest island, it proved to be only a heap of stones, and its

size too inconsiderable to shelter the boat. We therefore proceeded to the next, which was close to it, and towards the main. On the N.W. side of this I found a bay, and a fine sandy point to land at. Our distance was about a quarter of a mile from a projecting part of the main, which bore from S.W. by S. to N.N.W. W. We landed, to examine if there were any signs of the natives | being near us. We saw some old fire-places, but nothing to make me apprehend that this would be an unsafe situation for the night. Every one was anxious to find something to eat, and it was soon discovered that there were oysters on these 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, when I should better know how to proceed; and I directed that one half of our company should sleep on shore, and the other half in the boat. We would gladly have made a fire; but as we could not accomplish it, we took our rest for the night, which happily was calm and undisturbed.

'Friday, 29th.-The dawn of day brought greater strength and spirits to us than I expected; for, notwithstanding every one was very weak, there appeared strength sufficient remaining, to make me conceive the most favourable hopes of our being able to surmount the difficulties we might yet have to encounter.

As there were no appearances to make me imagine that any of the natives were near us, I sent out parties in search of supplies, while others of the people were putting the boat in order, that we might be ready to go to sea, in case any unforeseen cause should make it necessary. One of the gudgeons of the rudder had come out in the course of the night, and was lost. This, if it had happened at sea, might have been attended with the most serious consequences, as the management of the boat could not have been so nicely preserved as these very heavy seas required. I had been apprehensive of this accident, and had in some measure prepared for it by having grummets fixed on each quarter of the boat for oars; but our utmost readiness in using them would not probably have saved us. It appears, therefore, a providential circumstance that it happened in a place of safety, and that it was in our power to remedy the defect; for, by great good luck, we found a large staple in the boat, which answered the purpose. The parties returned, highly rejoiced at having found plenty of oysters and fresh water. I had also made a fire by the help of a small magnifying glass; and what was still more fortunate, we found, among the few things which had been thrown into the boat and saved, a piece of brimstone and a tinder box, so that I secured fire for the future. One of the people had been so provident, as to bring

away with him from the ship a copper pot; by being in possession of this article, we were enabled to make a proper use of the supply we now obtained; for, with a mixture of bread and a little pork, we made a stew that might have been relished by people of far more delicate appetites, and 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 violent tenesmus; most of us, in a greater or lesser degree, suffered thus. 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 a tolerable share of fortitude, seemed able to bear more fatigue than I imagined we should have to undergo in our voyage to Timor. As I would not allow the people to expose themselves to the heat of the sun, it being near noon, every one took his allotment of earth where it was shaded by the bushes, for a short sleep.

'The oysters which we found grew so fast to the rocks, that it was with difficulty they could be broken off; and at length we discovered it to be the most expeditious way to open them where they were fixed. They were of a good size, and well flavoured. To add to this happy circumstance, in the hollow of the land there grew some wire

grass, which indicated a moist situation. 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 our occasions required. It was very good; but I could not determine if it was a spring or not. We were not obliged to make the well deep, for it flowed as fast as we emptied it; which, as the soil was apparently too loose to retain water from the rains, renders it probable to be a spring. On the south side of the island, likewise, we found a small run of good water. Besides places where fires had been made, there were other signs of the natives sometimes resorting to this island. I saw two ill-constructed huts or wigwams, which had only one side loosely covered; and a pointed stick was found, about three feet long, with a slit in the end of it, to sling stones with; the same as the natives of Van Diemen's land use. The track of some animal was very discernible, and Nelson agreed with me that it was the kangaroo ; but whether these animals swim over from the mainland, or are brought here by the natives to breed, it is impossible to determine. The latter is not improbable, as they may be taken with less difficulty in a confined spot like this than on the continent. The island is about a league in circuit: it is a high lump of rocks and stones covered with wood;