THIRD VOYAGE 365 



of wind which came with showers of rain, put us out of 

 danger. While we lay as it were becalmed, several of the 

 islanders came off with hogs, fowls, fruit, and roots. 



" At four in the afternoon, after purchasing everything 

 that the natives had brought off, which was full as much 

 as we had occasion for, we made sail and stretched to 

 the north. At midnight we tacked and stood to the south- 

 east. Upon a supposition that the Discovery would see 

 us tack, the signal was omitted ; but she did not see us, 

 as we afterwards found, and continued standing to the 

 north ; for at daylight next morning she was not in sight. 

 At six in the evening the southernmost extreme of the 

 island bore south-west, the nearest shore seven or eight 

 miles distant, so that we had now succeeded in getting 

 to the windward of the island, which we had aimed at with 

 so much perseverance. 



" The Discovery, however, was not yet to be seen. But 

 the wind as we had it, being very favourable for her to 

 follow us, I concluded that it would not be long before 

 she joined us. 



" We began to be in want of fresh provision on the 30th. 

 At ten o'clock next morning we were met by the islanders 

 with fruit and roots ; but in all the canoes were only three 

 small pigs. 



" Before daybreak the atmosphere was again loaded with 

 heavy clouds ; and the new year was ushered in with very 

 hard rain, which continued at intervals till past ten o'clock. 

 We lay to, trading with the inhabitants till three o'clock 

 in the afternoon ; when, having a tolerable supply, we 

 made sail with a view of proceeding to look for the 

 Discovery. 



" The three following days were spent in running down 

 the south-east side of the island. 



" On the 5th January, 1779, in the morning, we passed 

 the south point of the island. On this there stands a pretty 

 large village, the inhabitants of which thronged off to the 

 ship with hogs and women. It was not possible to keep 

 the latter from coming on board. This part of the country, 

 from its appearance, did not seem capable of affording any 

 vegetables. Marks of it having been laid waste by the 

 explosion of a volcano, everywhere presented themselves : 

 the devastation that it had made in this neighbourhood 

 was visible to the naked eye. 



" Between ten and eleven next morning we saw with 

 pleasure the Discovery coming round the south point of 

 the island ; and at one in the afternoon she joined us. 

 Captain Glerke then coming on board, informed me that 

 he had cruised four or five days where we were separated, 



