218 WHITE— A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 



faced heron trying to alight on the vessel, but the wind blew 

 so hard that after several attempts, and even' time he blew 

 to leeward and had to beat up again, then he went off with 

 the wind, and if he ever made land would be an emigrant to 

 the Aru Islands. 20th. Wind and sea went down some- 1 

 what this morning, and I was glad of the rest for I took a 

 little sleep. My position showsi me at noon to-day to be nine 

 miles to the leeward of Booby Island, so put about on the 

 other tack. My officers and crew are playing cards all day, 

 and I have a job to keep any kind of discipline on board, and 

 have ordered the watch on deck myself more than once. To- 

 day a white tern came on board and sat close to me. I put my 

 hand on it, and it flew off, and it soon returned and sat about 

 the deck for hour®, then seemed rested and flew off. I took 

 it up once and found its body very thin and wasted like the 

 others I had captured on board, and appeared as if they had 

 been out for weeks at sea. 21st. The wind and sea got up 

 again last night, but moderated again at noon. I find that I 

 am out of my reckoning, and have grave suspicions that the 

 chronometer has been interfered with. The ship was put 

 about, and at 4 o'clock this afternoon Prince of Wales Island 

 was some distance to windward, and at dark I ordered an 

 anchor to be let go. I felt anxious not knowing our exact 

 position and knowing that several reefs are situated around 

 us I had a man stationed forward all the night, but nothing 

 was seen. I smelt smoke distinctly, and believe it came from 

 Prince of Wales Group. 22nd. Lifted the anchor and stood 

 for a few hours towards Red Wallace Island, which was in 

 sight, then tacked in towards the strait, when the wind fell 

 and a strong tide set in, so I had an anchor let go. 23rd. 

 This morning at daylight we got under way and beat 

 through Endeavour Straits with a strong head wind until we 

 reached York Island, and here anchored in six fathoms of 

 water till the tide changed, which did not take place until 4 

 o'clock, when the wind rose and blew very hard. Weighed 

 anchor and beat up to Albany and dropped anchor a little 

 after sunset. Thus prematurely ends the first part of my 

 expedition after five months' hard sailing, and an expenditure 

 of £5,000. Out of this I have had about four or five weeks 

 collecting, with one man besides' myself. What my crew will 

 Jlo or what I will do with them I am now making up my mind, 

 but what ever happens they will find a rigid discipline and con- 

 trol put upon them. A short time after anchoring Mr. Jar- 

 dine kindly sent off the letters and papers addressed to the 

 yacht. 



