PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 65 



It appears from their narrative that the island chap 

 possessed no spring ; and that the two men procured %— y-^* 

 a supply of water at a small pool which received Dec - 

 the drainings from the upper part of the island, and 

 was just sufficient for their daily consumption. 



In the evening we bore away to the westward, 

 and at one o'clock in the afternoon of the 4th of 

 December we saw Pitcairn Island bearing S.W. by 

 W. J W. at a considerable distance. 



catching whales, when one of these animals became enraged, and 

 attacked the vessel by swimming against it with all its strength. The 

 steersman, it is said, endeavoured to evade the shock by managing 

 the helm, but in vain. The third blow stove in the bows of the 

 ship, and she went down in a very short time, even before some 

 of the boats that were away had time to get on board. Such 

 of the crew as were in the ship contrived to save themselves in 

 the boats that were near, and were soon joined by their astonished 

 shipmates, who could not account for the sudden disappearance 

 of their vessel ; but found themselves unprovided with every 

 thing necessary for a sea-voyage, and several thousand miles 

 from any place whence they could hope for relief. The boats, 

 after the catastrophe, determined to proceed to Chili, touching 

 at Ducie's Island in their way. They steered to the southward, 

 and, after considerable sufferings, landed upon an island which 

 they supposed to be that above mentioned, but which was, in fact, 

 Elizabeth Island. Not being able to procure any water here, they 

 continued their voyage to the coast of Chili, where two boats out of 

 the three arrived, but with only three or four persons in them. The 

 third was never heard of; but it is not improbable that the wreck of 

 a boat and four skeletons which were seen on Ducie's Island by a 

 merchant vessel were her remains and that of her crew. Had 

 these unfortunate persons been aware of the situation of Pitcairn 

 Island, which is only ninety miles from Elizabeth Island, and to 

 leeward of it, all their lives might have been saved. 



VOL. I. F 



