THE PACIFIC OCEAN. i8j 



both parties being ordered upon the fame fervice, to catch '777- 



.„,,,., December. 



turtle. Captam Clerke having had fome of his people on — -,^— / 

 fhore all nighr, they had been fo fortunate as to turn be- 

 tween forty and fifty on the fand, which were brought on 

 board, with all expedition, this day. And in the after- 

 noon, the party I had fent Northward returned with 'fix. 

 They were fent back again, and remained there till we left 

 the ifland ; having in general pretty good fuccefs. 



On the 28th, I landed, in company with Mr. Bayly, on the Sunday zs. 

 ifland which lies between the two channels into the hi^oon 

 to prepare the telefcopes for obferving the approaching 

 eclipfe of the fun ; which was one great inducement to my 

 anchoring here. About noon, Mr. King returned witli one 

 boat, and eight turtles ; leaving feven behind to he brought 

 by the other boat, whofe people were employed in catching 

 more; and, in the evening, the fame boat was fent with 

 water and provifions for them. Mr. Williamfon now went 

 to fuperintend this duty in the room of Mr. King, who re- 

 mained on board, to attend the obfervation of the eclipfe. 



The next day, Mr. Williamfon difpatched tlie two boats Monday ro. 

 back to the Ihip, laden with turtle. At the fame time, he 

 fent me a mefifage, defiring, that the boats might be ordered 

 round by fea, as he had found a landing-place on the South 

 Eaft fide of the ifland, where mofl of the turtle were caught ; 

 fo that, by fending the boats thither, the trouble would be 

 faved of carrying them over the land to the infide of the la- 

 goon., as had been hitherto done. The boats were, accord- 

 ingly, difpatched to the place which he pointed out. 



On the morning of the 30th, the day when the eclipfe Tuefdayso. 

 was to happen, Mr. King, Mr. Bayly, and myfelf, went 

 afliore, on the fmall ifland' above-mentioned, to attend the 



obfervation. 



