198 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
Being thus equipped, we started from the ships 
at a quarter of an hour after five o’clock in the af- 
ternoon. We were accompanied to the beach 
by almost every individual in both vessels, where 
they gave us three hearty cheers, which we re- 
turned with equal spirit. The major number of the 
people now returned on board ; sixteen officers and 
men, however, who were anxious to give us, if 
possible, a more convincing proof of their zeal 
towards the enterprize we were undertaking, ac- 
companied us for about five miles, carrying our 
knapsacks, and drawing the cart. On their parting, 
another volley of cheers was interchanged. We 
now proceeded on by ourselves, until a quarter 
past eleven o’clock, when we stopped, pitched our 
tents, and supped, or, according to our intended 
arrangement of time, dined ; for as we are to tra- 
vel at night, it will be best, I think, to name our 
meals as they occur with regard to our time of 
rest. The reason that we are to reverse the order 
of time, or, in other words, to sleep in the 
day and travel at night, is because the day-time is 
the warmest, and consequently the fittest for rest- 
ing to people provided as we are with ‘no other 
covering than what we wear, except the tent, and 
a Single blanket each. 
Friday 2d.— We had every thing packed up 
again at a quarter before one o’clock lis morning, 
iia resumed our journey. In the Donkin’s pre- 
served meat-case that was emptied at dinner, we 
put a slip of parchment, on which-was written a 
brief account of the party who left it, and depo- 
sited it under*a small pile of stones at the place 
