THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 109 



Early on the 27th, they fet out again, and filled their ca- '779- 

 libafhes at an excellent v/ell about half a mile from their __!!!_!_, 

 hut. Having palled the plantations, they came to a thick Saturday z7< 

 wood, which they entered by a path made for the conve- 

 nience of the natives, who go thither to fetch the wild or 

 horfe-plantain, and to catch birds. Their progrefs now be- 

 came very flow, and attended with much labour; the ground 

 being either fwampy, or covered with large ftoncs , the path 

 narrow, and frequently interrupted by trees lying acrofs it, 

 which it was neceffary to climb over, the thicknefs of the 

 under-wood, on both fides, making it impoiiible to pafs 

 round them. In thefe woods they obferved, at fmall dis- 

 tances, pieces of white cloth fixed on poles, which they 

 fuppofed to be land-marks for the divifion of property, as 

 they only met with them where the wild plantains grew. 

 The trees, which arc of the fame kind with thofe we called 

 the fpice-tree at New Holland, were lofty and ftraight, and 

 from two to four feet in circumference. 



After they had advanced about ten miles in the wood, 

 they had the mortification to find thcmfelves, on a fudden, 

 within fight of the fea, and at no great diftance from it ; the 

 path having turned imperceptibly to the Southward, and 

 carried them to the right of the mountain, which it was 

 their object to reach. Their difappointment was greatly in- 

 creased by the uncertainty they were now under of its true 

 bearings, fince they could not, at this time, get a view of 

 it from the top of the higheft trees. They, therefore, found 

 themfelves obliged to walk back fix or feven miles to an 

 unoccupied hut, where they had left three of the natives, 

 and two of their own people, with the fmall ftock that re- 

 mained of their provifions. Here they fpent the fecond 

 night ; and the air was fo very fliarp, and fo little to the 



5 liking 



