OF LA PEROUSE. 429 



ferent plight from what he had reckoned, when 

 he wifhed to fhew off his agility. 



Thofe who had gone on fhorc were obliged to 

 pafs the night there ; their whole flock of provi- 

 sions confided of a little bifcuit. Dying with 

 thirfl, they were compelled, in a very dark night, 

 to travel upwards of two kilometers acrofs the 

 rocks, in order to procure fome water ; and, to 

 complete their misfortunes, it turned out to be 

 brackifh. 



Enormous fharks, of the mofl common fpecics, 

 fqualus carcharias, frequently made their appear- 

 ance in the bafin where we lay at anchor. On 

 board of the Efperance one was caught, which 

 was about four meters long, and much thicker 

 in proportion to its length than fharks are in 

 general. 



As every thing made us forefee the impoflibi- 

 lity of finding the means of renewing our flock 

 of water aj this anchorage, the fecond in com- 

 mand gave orders, that there fhould be ferved 

 out no more than three fourths of a bottle a day 

 to each perfon. The commander in chief and he 

 had as much as they pleafed. I thought, however, 

 that water was a common flock, the privation of 

 which fhould alike have extended to all. 



On the 14th, at daybreak, the geographical 

 engineer of the Recherche fet off in the barge, in 

 order to reconnoitre the iflots of this little Archi- 

 pelago, 



