( 49 ) 

 with very little hopes of any relief, for 

 he was too far off to be feen from fliore ; 

 but fortunately a boat, having put off 

 and gone in queft of wild-fowl that way, 

 difcovered him making fuch fignals as 

 he was able, and brought him back to 

 the ifland. But this accident did not fo 

 difcourage him but that foon after, hav- 

 ing procured an ox's hide, ufed on board 

 for lifting powder, and called a gunner s 

 hide, by the afliftance of fome hoops he 

 formed fomething like a canoe, in which 

 he made feveral fuccefsful voyages. 

 When the weather would permit us, we 

 feldom failed of getting fome wild-fowl, 

 though never in any plenty, by putting 

 off with our boats ; but this moft inhof- 

 pitable climate is not only deprived of 

 the fun for the mofl: part, by a thick, 

 rainy atmofphere, but is alfo vilited by 

 almofl: inceflant tempefts. It muft be 

 confefled, we reaped fome benefit from 

 thefe hard gales and overgrown feas, 



E which 



