1776 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 145 



water, the bottom black sand ; as did the Discovery 

 soon after. I immediately dispatched Mr. Bligh, the 

 master, in a boat to sound the harbour ; who, on his 

 return, reported it to be safe and commodious, with 

 good anchorage in every part ; and great plenty of 

 fresh water, seals, penguins, and other birds, on the 

 shore ; but not a stick of wood. While we lay at 

 anchor, we observed that the flood-tide came from 

 the south-east, running two knots, at least, in an hour. 



At day-break, in the morning of the 2.5th, we 

 weighed with a gentle breeze at west ; and having 

 wrought into the harbour, to within a quarter of a 

 mile of the sandy beach at its head, we anchored in 

 eight fathoms' water, the bottom a fine dark sand. 

 The Discovery did not get in till two o'clock in the 

 afternoon ; when Captain Clerke informed me, that 

 he had narrowly escaped being driven on the south 

 point of the harbour, his anchor having started before 

 they had time to shorten in the cable. This obliged 

 them to set sail, and drag the anchor after them, till 

 they had room to heave it up ; and then they found 

 one of its palms was broken off. 



As soon as we had anchored, I ordered all the 

 boats to be hoisted out ; the ship to be moored with 

 a kedge-anchor ; and the water-casks to be got ready 

 to send on shore. In the mean time I landed, to 

 look for the most convenient spot where they might 

 be filled, and to see what else the place afforded. 



I found the shore, in a manner, covered with pen- 

 guins and other birds, and seals. These latter were 

 not numerous, but so insensible of fear (which 

 plainly indicated that they were unaccustomed to 

 such visitors), that we killed as many as we chose, 

 for the sake of their fat or blubber, to make oil for 

 our lamps, and other uses. Fresh water was in no 

 less plenty than were birds ; for every gully afforded 

 a large stream. But not a single tree or shrub, nor 

 the least sign of any, was to be discovered, and but 

 very little herbage of any sort. The appearances, as 



vol. v. L 



