172 poor's voyage to dec. 



shore, instead of being surprised that these two men 

 should thus lose their way, it is rather to be wondered 

 at, that no more of the party were missing. Indeed, 

 one of those who landed with me, was in a similar 

 situation ; but he had sagacity enough to know that 

 the ships were to leeward, and got on board almost 

 as soon as it was discovered that he had been left be- 

 hind. 



As soon as Captain Gierke knew that one of the 

 stragglers was still in this awkward situation, he sent 

 a party in search of him ; but neither the man nor the 

 party having come back, the next morning I ordered 

 two boats into the lagoon, to go different ways in 

 prosecution of the search. Not long after, Captain 

 Clerke's party returned with their lost companion ; 

 and my boats having now no object left, I called them 

 back by signal. This poor fellow must have suf- 

 fered far greater distress than the other straggler ; 

 not only as having been lost a longer time, but as we 

 found that he was too squeamish to drink turtle's 

 blood. 



Having some cocoa-nuts and yams on board, in a 

 state of vegetation, I ordered them to be planted on 

 the little island where we had observed the eclipse ; 

 and some melon seeds were sown in another place. 

 I also left, on the little island, a bottle containing 

 this inscription : 



Georgius Tertius, Rex, 31 Decembris, 1777* 

 Resolution, Jac. Cook. Pr. 

 Discovery, Car. Cler/ce, Pr. 



Naves 4 



On the 1st of January, 177$, 1 sent boats to bring 

 on board all our parties from the land, and the turtle 

 they had caught. Before this was completed, it was 

 late in the afternoon ; so that I did not think proper 

 to sail till next morning. We got at this island, to 

 both ships, about three hundred turtle, weighing, one 

 with another, about ninety or a hundred pounds. 



