OUR ANCHORAGE. 177 



seemed alive with whales. It was evidently the 

 hight of the season, and we congratulated ourselves 

 in advance, upon the havoc we should make among 

 the fish At the bpttom of the bay was a small 

 island, about three miles in circumference. In a 

 sheltered nook on the lee side of this island, we 

 brought our ships to anchor, under the direction 

 of the captain of the James Eodgers, who had 

 been here before. Having safely moored the ves- 

 sels, we unbent the light sails, and made other 

 preparations for a lengthy stay. 



Having fixed upon a convenient landing place 

 on the shore, we rolled up our empty water casks, 

 to be filled before going away. Hore too, a tent 

 was erected, in which the armorer and carpenter 

 could work, and under shelter of which the crew 

 could rest when ashore. 



The island, which consisted of a high mountain, 

 bordered by a narrow strip of beach, was covered 

 from the waterside up with a dense mass of trees 

 and undergrowth, forming an impenetrable jungle. 

 This jungle, so said the captain of the James 

 Rodgers, was inhabited by a few wild cats, or 

 leopards, and numerous monkeys and flying foxes. 

 It was infested likewise, as we afterward found, 

 with great numbers of serpents of various kinds, 

 but chiefly by a species of anaconda, some of which> 

 that we killed, were fourteen feet long. 



On the day after our arrival, our whaling duties 

 began. We were called out at half past four 

 o'clock in the morning. The cook having beep 

 12 



