180 SEARCH FOR WATER. 



springs uas 18 feet, the time of high water being 

 1 1 o'clock. A fruitless attempt was made to pro- 

 cure water on this island, by digging ; and as we 

 were now reduced to a supply for only ten days, it 

 became necessary that we should immediately pro- 

 ceed to Timor in search of some. This was much to 

 be regretted at the present moment, as the coast to 

 the east had never been seen, and therefore possessed 

 the charm of being a new part of the continent. We 

 consoled ourselves for not being able to visit it by 

 the reflection that it would hold out some induce- 

 ment for us to return to this land of sterility. 



On Turtle Island was found a broken jar, pro- 

 bably left by some of the Macassar people, who 

 are occasionally blown in upon this part of the coast. 



July 14. — The unusual fogs that had prevailed 

 for three days dispersing, allowed us to leave our 

 anchorage under the south-east side of North Turtle 

 Isle, and soon after dark we occupied another near 

 Bedout Island, having crossed some rocky ledges of 

 seven fathoms on the wav. When the Beaole was mid- 



ml O 



way between these islands, they were both visible from 

 the mast-head. In the night, and during the early 

 part of next day, it blew strong from south-east, 

 causing a high -topping sea. Time being precious, 

 we could not wait for a quiet day to land on 

 Bedout ; its position was therefore determined by 

 observations with the sea horizon, and differs verv 

 materially from that given by the French. 



We weifjhed earlv in the afternoon of the 15th, 



