THIRD VOYAGE 247 



necessary to haul more to the north, to get into the 

 latitude of Palmerston's and Savage Islands, discovered 

 in 1774, during my last voyage ; that it necessity required 

 it, we might have recourse to them. 



" At length, at daybreak on the 13th, we saw Palrnerston 

 Island, distant about five leagues. However, we did not 

 get up with it till eight o'clock the next morning. I then 

 sent four boats, with an officer in each, to search the 

 coast for the most convenient landing-place. 



" The boats first examined the south-easternmost part, 

 and failing there, ran down to the east, where we had the 

 satisfaction to see them land. This place is not inhabited. 



" About one o'clock, one of the boats came on board, 

 laden with scurvy-grass and young cocoa-nut trees ; 

 which at this time was a feast for the cattle. Before 

 evening, I went ashore in a small boat, accompanied by 

 Captain Glerke. 



" We found everybody hard at work, and the landing- 

 place to be in a small creek. Upon the bushes that 

 front the sea, or even farther in, we found a great number 

 of men-of-war birds, topic birds, and two sorts of boobies, 

 which, at this time, were laying their eggs, and so tame, 

 that they suffered us to take them off with our hands. 



" At one part of the reef, which looks into, or bounds, 

 the lake that is within, there was a large bed of coral, 

 almost even with the surface, which afforded, perhaps, 

 one of the most enchanting prospects that nature has 

 anywhere produced. Its base was fixed to the shore, 

 but reached so far in, that it could not be seen ; so that 

 it seemed to be suspended in the water, which deepened 

 so suddenly, that, at the distance of a few yards, there 

 might be seven or eight fathoms. The sea was at this 

 time quite unruffled ; and the sun shining bright, exposed 

 the various sorts of coral in the most beautiful order. 

 This scene was enlivened by numerous species of fishes 

 gliding along in apparent security. 



" There were no traces of inhabitants having ever been 

 here, if we except a small piece of a canoe that was found 

 upon the beach, which probably may have drifted from 

 some other island. 



" After the boats were laden I returned on board, 

 leaving Mr. Gore, with a party, to pass the night on shore, 

 in order to be ready to go to work early next morning. 



" That day was accordingly spent as the preceding one 

 had been, in collecting food for the cattle. Having got 

 a sufficient supply by sunset, I ordered everybody on 

 board. But having little or no wind, I determined to 

 wait, and to employ the next day in trying to get some 



