COCOS— THE ISLE OF PIRATES 243 



"Water is very abundant and was easily con- 

 veyed by hoses into the boats. . . . 



"In Chatham Bay we noticed the rock mentioned 

 by Vancouver, and left on another the Sulphur's 

 name. . . . 



"Fish are abundant in Chatham Bay, but were 

 not easily taken at the ship. The whalers sent their 

 boats daily to fish in the tide stream between the 

 small island and the main, and were very success- 

 ful. Shell fish were scarce and few worth preserv- 

 ing. ... 



"It was not without surprise that I read Van- 

 couver's opinion of this island. The view of the 

 two bays, with the magnificent S.W. cliffs and 

 waterfalls, like silver threads, leaping from the 

 richest and varied tints of green that can be imag- 

 ined, would put a painter in ecstasy. Season, how- 

 ever, may make a material difference. The same 

 objects we view and are delighted with in sunshine, 

 are dreary and uninteresting in gloomy weather. 



". . . The thicket is not now impenetrable, as 

 the self -exiled whalers traversed easily from bay to 

 bay. Goats are said to abound but keep to the 

 heights. Pigs are plentiful and one large hog was 

 sufficiently inquisitive to look into the tent at a 

 distance of twenty yards. 



"The stream in West Bay produces fresh-water 

 fish but we could not obtain any. A curious bull- 

 head was taken, as well as fresh-water crustacean, 

 at our watering-place. Some of our men, who had 

 landed to wash and amuse themselves, found their 

 way up the hill east of the water-course, and saw 



