246 Kennedy's expedition. 



determined^ well considering' all circumstances, to 

 return to tlie ship, wMcli we did, coming' out on the 

 heach under mangroves, at the verj' spot we told 

 Jackey to come out at on our leaving. We arrived 

 at the ship at twelve miautes hefore four p.m. 

 During our absence the men in the boat had seen 

 on the beach from fifty to one hundred natives. 

 We saw none. The day has been very hot, and we 

 are in a fix, surrounded by reefs, and some little 

 anxiety is existing as to how we shall get out again. 

 We have determined to proceed to Weymouth Bay, 

 and in so doing I have taken everything into 

 consideration. We have eight men to attend to at 

 Weymouth Bay. In all probability the three men 

 here are dead, for when Jackey left them, Costig'an 

 was nearly dead, and Luff was very ill. The cloak 

 taken from the canoe shews that the blacks have 

 found their camp, and had we gone on there, which 

 would have taken a day or two at least more, we 

 should only have found, I verily beheve, as Jackey 

 says, "bones belonging to white fellows.'' After 

 getting" on board, Jackey went to sleep, thoroughly 

 done up. He fell asleep also in coming off in the 

 boat. 



Dec. 28th. — This has been a day of anxiety. 

 We left a little after dayhght, not without feelings of 

 disappointment and dissatisfaction at not having been 

 successful in rescuing the men, who it was possible 

 might be yet alive. We were surrounded by reefs, 

 a light breeze, and fau' depth of water— called out 



