80 cook's second voyage august, 



is granted, and who keep an agent residing upon the 

 spot. The fort above-mentioned seems wholly de- 

 signed for the protection of the bay, and is well 

 situated for that purpose, being built on an elevation, 

 which rises directly from the sea on the right, at the 

 head of the bay. 



We had no sooner got clear of Port Praya, than 

 we got a fresh gale at N. N. E. which blew in squalls, 

 attended with showers of rain. But the next day 

 the wind and showers abated, and veered to the 

 south. It was, however, variable and unsettled for 

 several days, accompanied with dark, gloomy weather, 

 and showers of rain. 



On the 19th, in the afternoon, one of the carpen- 

 ter* s-mates fell over board, and was drowned. Pie 

 was over the side, fitting in one of the scuttles ; from 

 whence, it was supposed, he had fallen : for he was 

 not seen till the very instant he sunk under the ship's 

 stern, when our endeavours to save him were too late. 

 This loss was sensibly felt during the voyage, as he 

 was a sober man and a good workman. About noon 

 the next day, the rain poured down upon us not in 

 drops, but in streams. The wind, at the same time, 

 was variable, and squally ; which obliged the people 

 to attend the decks, so that few in the ships escaped 

 a good soaking. We, however, benefited by it, as it 

 gave us an opportunity of filling all our empty water 

 casks. This heavy rain at last brought on a dead 

 calm, which continued twenty-four hours, when it 

 was succeeded by a breeze from S. W. Betwixt this 

 point and south it continued for several days ; and 

 blew, at times, in squalls, attended with rain and hot 

 sultry weather. The mercury in the thermometers 

 at noon, kept generally from 79 to 82. 



On the 27th, spake with Captain Furneaux, who 

 informed us that one of his petty officers was dead. 

 At this time we had not one sick on board ; although 

 we had every thing of this kind to fear from the rain 

 we had had, which is a great promoter of sickness in 



