240 THE ARCTURUS ADVENTURE 



and Chatham Islands, when he stopped at Cocos, 

 and from thence he went to the coast of Mexico, 

 and the Islands of Socorro, Santo Berto, and 

 Rocka Partido. He seems to have been almost as 

 devoted to his crew as the celebrated Captain Reece, 

 commander of the Mantelpiece, and in his accomit 

 of the voyage there is a careful description of his 

 methods of keeping the men in good health. 



Captain Colnett has left us a long, accurate ac- 

 count of his visit to Cocos, much of which has to do 

 with helpful suggestions for future visitors. He 

 suffered almost continual rain during his stay at 

 the island, and concludes: 



"We were much wearied, during the four days, 

 we passed off this island, and prepared to quit it. 

 We therefore took on board, two thousand cocoa- 

 nuts; and, in return, left on shore, in the North 

 Bay, a boar, and sow, with a male and female goat. 

 In the other bay, we sowed garden seeds, of every 

 kind, for the benefit and comfort of those who 

 might come after us. I also left a bottle tied to a 

 tree, containing a letter. Over it I ordered a board 

 with a suitable inscription, which Captain Van- 

 couver thought proper to remove, when he anchored 

 at this isle, some time after me. The letter gave 

 only an account of my arrival and departure. Hav- 

 ing made the necessary arrangements, we set sail 

 for the Northward." 



Colnett and Vancouver were shipmates under 

 Cook on H.M.S. Resolution in 1772-1775, Colnett 

 as midshipman, Vancouver as able seaman. But 

 when, in January, 1795, Vancouver, returning from 



