1777* THE pacific OCEAN. Q8J 



these had belonged to the same canoe, the remains of 

 which were seen on the other beach, as the two islots 

 are not above half a mile apart. A young turtle had 

 also been lately thrown ashore here, as it was still full 

 of maggots. There were fewer crabs than at the last 

 place; but we found some scorpions, a few other 

 insects, and a greater number offish upon the reefs. 

 Amongst these were some large eels, beautifully 

 spotted, which, when followed, would raise themselves 

 out of the water, and endeavour, with an open mouth, 

 to bite their pursuers. The other sorts were, chiefly, 

 parrot-fish, snappers, and a brown spotted rock-fish, 

 about the size of a haddock, so tame, that, instead 

 of swimming away, it would remain fixed, and gaze 

 at us. Had we been in absolute want, a sufficient 

 supply might have been had; for thousands of the 

 clams, already mentioned, stuck upon the reef, some 

 of which weighed two or three pounds. There were, 

 besides, some other sorts of shell-fish ; particularly, 

 the large periwinkle. When the tide flowed, several 

 sharks came in, over the reef, some of which our 

 people killed; but they rendered it rather dangerous 

 to walk in the water at that time. 



The party who were left on shore with Mr. William- 

 son, were a good deal pestered, (as Mr. Gore's had 

 been) with musquitoes, in the night. Some of them, 

 in their excursions, shot two curlews, exactly like those 

 of England; and saw some plovers, or sand-pipers, 

 upon the shore; but, in the wood, no other bird 

 besides one or two of the cuckoos that were seen 

 at Wenooa-ette. 



Upon the whole, we did not spend our time un- 

 profitably at this islot; for we got there about twelve 

 hundred cocoa-nuts, which were equally divided 

 amongst the whole crew ; and were, doubtless, of 

 great use to them, both on account of the juice and 

 of the kernel. A ship, therefore, passing this way, 

 if the weather be moderate, may expect to succeed 

 as we did. But there is no water upon either of the 

 islots where we landed. Were that article to be had, 



