b ANCHORED AT 



1824. which were huilt on the steep edge of the 

 June. diff. At one P.M.^ a change of wind having 

 taken place, we weighed, and ran with the 

 ehb for the Pentland Firth ; but being nnable 

 in a stiff breeze^, and with studding-sails set, 

 to get above four knots out of the ship, which 

 was twice whirled round in an eddy, from 

 which we could not escape, we lost the tide, 

 and in consequence did not arrive at Strom- 

 ness until one A.M. of the 30th. We found 

 that the Snap, having been carried out from 

 the Firth to sea in the fog, had only arrived 

 on the preceding evening. 



As refreshments were not to be procured 

 at Stromness, the Hudson's Bay ships, which 

 sailed as late as the 29th of June, having pur- 

 chased all that were on hand, I sent Lieute- 

 nant Manico to Kirkwall, for the purpose of 

 ordering a supply of beef, vegetables, ^c. ; 

 and also to purchase the ponies. 



In the mean time a boat was hired for 

 bringing water to the ship, which I found 

 would detain us some time, a drought of three 

 months' continuance having rendered it so 

 scarce, that our only place of supply was from 

 a very small rill, yielding about two tons a 

 day. The towns-people, in consequence of this 

 great scarcity, had for some time been under 



