1778. THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 203 



veyed into the boat, and we had purchased from the 

 natives a few roots, a little salt, and some salted fish, 

 I returned on board with all the people, intending to 

 visit the island the next day. But about seven 

 o'clock in the evening the anchor of the Resolution 

 started, and she drove off the bank. As we had a 

 whole cable out, it was some time before the anchor 

 was at the bows ; and then we had the launch to 

 hoist up alongside, before we could make sail. By 

 this unlucky accident, we found ourselves, at day- 

 break next morning, three leagues to the leeward of 

 our last station ; and foreseeing that it would require 

 more time to recover it than I chose to spend, I made 

 the signal for the Discovery to weigh and join us. 

 This was done about noon ; and we immediately 

 stood away to the northward, in prosecution of our 

 voyage. Thus, after spending more time about these 

 islands, than was necessary to have answered all our 

 purposes, we were obliged to leave them before we 

 had completed our water, and got from them such a 

 quantity of refreshments as their inhabitants were 

 both able and willing to have supplied us with. But, 

 as it was, our ship procured from them provisions, 

 sufficient for three weeks at least ; and Captain Clerke, 

 more fortunate than us, got of their vegetable pro- 

 ductions, a supply that lasted his people upward of 

 two months. The observations I was enabled to 

 make, combined with those of Mr. Anderson, who 

 was a very useful assistant on all such occasions, will 

 furnish materials for the next chapter. 



