4S8 cook's voyage to sept. 



sirous of knives; and they had no dislike to to- 

 bacco. 



After dinner, Lieutenant Gore was sent to the 

 peninsula, to see if wood and water were there to be 

 got; or rather water, for the whole beach round the 

 bay seemed to be covered with drift-wood. At the 

 same time a boat was sent from each ship, to sound 

 round the bay ; and at three in the afternoon, the 

 wind freshening at north-east, we weighed, in order 

 to work farther in. But it was soon found to be im- 

 possible, on account of the shoals, which extended 

 quite round the bay, to the distance of two or three 

 miles from the shore ; as the officers who had been 

 sent to sound reported. We therefore kept standing 

 off and on with the ships, waiting for Mr. Gore, who 

 returned about eight o'clock, with the launch laden 

 with wood. 



He reported that there was but little fresh water, 

 and that wood was difficult to be got at, by reason of 

 the boats grounding at some distance from the beach. 

 This being the case, I stood back to the other shore ; 

 and at eight o'clock the next morning, sent all the 

 boats, and a party of men, with an officer, to get 

 wood from the place where I had landed two days 

 before. We continued, for a while, to stand on and 

 off with the ships ; but at length came to an anchor 

 in one-fourth less than five fathoms, half a league 

 from the coast, the south point of which bore south, 

 26 W. ; and Bald Head north, 60 E., nine leagues 

 distant. Cape Denbigh bore south, 7^ E., twenty- 

 six miles distant ; and the island under the east 

 shore, to the southward of Cape Denbigh, named 

 Besborough Island, south 52 E., fifteen leagues 

 distant. 



As this was a very open road, and consequently 

 not a safe station, I resolved not to wait to complete 

 water, as that would require some time, but only 

 to supply the ships with wood, and then to go in 

 search of a more convenient place for the other arti- 



