56 PORT LOUIS— SUCCESSFUL HUNTING. [1822. 



benevolent purpose of Captain Barnard remained unchanged. But 

 here I must stop, and refer the reader to the narrative. 



October 26th. — Having, in due time, finished overhauling our sails 

 and rigging, obtained a sufficient supply of fresh water, and taken on 

 board twenty-eight barrels of albatross' eggs packed in salt, we pro- 

 posed leaving our present anchorage. Accordingly, on Saturday, the 

 26th, at two o'clock, P. M., we got under way, and steered for Port 

 Louis, in Berkley Sound, lat. 51° 31' S., long. 58° 2' W., for the pur- 

 pose of obtaining some fresh provisions of a more substantial kind, such 

 as wild cattle, geese, &c. We passed through the Very Gut and West- 

 point Harbour, then along Tamer Pass, doubled Cape Dolphin, and 

 passed St. Salvador Bay to Cape de Barra, which forms the northern 

 side of Berkley Sound. 



October 29th. — We arrived at Port Louis Harbour, or bay, on Tues- 

 day, the 29th, and at two o'clock, P. M., came to anchor in three fathoms 

 of water, near the ruins of St. Louis. It was here the French planted 

 their little colony in 1764, as already mentioned. They called this 

 sound the Bay of Acheron, but whether with any reference to the son 

 of Ceres, I have never been informed. It may be mentioned, however, 

 as somewhat coincident, that there is a little strait at the north side of 

 the English Maloon, which we passed through, called Hell's Backdoor. 

 This French colony, I believe, never amounted to more than one hun- 

 dred and fifty souls, and the remains of about thirty of their houses are 

 still standing. 



At three o'clock, P. M., I sent the crew ashore in search of wild cattle, 

 poultry, &c. At nine, they returned with two fine bullocks, and two 

 hundred and eighty-seven geese. On the following day, at three, A. 

 M., the boats were again manned and despatched on the same errand. 

 They returned at ten, P.M., with three fat bullocks, and three hundred 

 and seventeen geese. 



October 31st. — The next day, Thursday, being stormy, it was 

 not thought advisable to send the crew on shore, but to keep them 

 employed in dressing the game they had already taken. On Fri- 

 day morning, however, the storm having subsided, they started on an- 

 other excursion, at three o'clock, but did not return until the following 

 day, at five, P. M., when they brought with them three more bullocks, 

 and two hundred and thirty-seven geese. 



November 2d. — Being now supplied with provisions and every thing 

 necessary for a voyage of discovery, except fuel, of which we were 

 somewhat deficient, preparations were made for a cruise in search of 

 the Aurora Islands. Accordingly, on Saturday, the 2d of November, 

 at six, P. M., we got under way, and left Port Louis Bay, shaping our 

 course towards the south and east, with the wind from the south-west 

 and fair weather. The Henry was to sail the same evening, in search 

 of new lands to the west. 



We continued on our course, between the south and east, with fresh 

 winds from W.S.W. to W.N.W., attended with snow and hail-squalls, and 

 a long regular sea-swell running from S.W. by W. On the 6th we 

 crossed the spot which the Aurora Islands were supposed to occupy, 

 without meeting any indications of land. After running to the east, in 



