6ALT WATER BALLAST. 285 



During the whole time that we lay at anchor here, 

 the most intimate relations existed between all grades 

 of the two ships' companies ; every day and every 

 night we held re-unions, in which, by merriment, we 

 strove to dispel the recollection of being so far 

 separated from home. A boat seldom left either ship 

 on an excursion for pleasure, without calling on the 

 other party to see if any wished to go ; and if either 

 ship was to be kedged ahead, or her anchorage 

 shifted, the other crew were ever ready to volunteer 

 their assistance. 



One favorite trip was to go with the boat to within 

 a short distance of the heavy surf that broke on the 

 reef at low water, where live shells were to be col- 

 lected. These were then buried in sand, or immersed 

 in fresh water, until the death of the animal rendered 

 dislodging him from his shell an easy task. In this 

 manner we cleaned them, without impairing the 

 enamel, which so greatly enhances their beauty. 



One of our last moves previous to sailing, was to 

 stow some two hundred barrels of salt water in our 

 after-hold, the ship being so light as to render more 

 weight in her hold necessaiy to make her seaworthy ; 

 we having put into her nothing like her carrying 

 capacity of oil, and having eaten the principal part 

 of the provisions, there remained but little in her to 

 act as ballast. 



Having now been from home almost our allotted 

 period, we have exhausted almost all the original 

 supplies. Our meat is reduced to some forty barrels, 

 flour to ten or twelve, sugar none, molasses none, 

 (the latter we procured a supply of from the Europa,) 

 and our tea is so near its ultimatum that it is reserved 



