440 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



wishing to weigh anchor, Carteret found, to his dismay, that 

 the united strength of the whole ship's company was insufficient 

 to perform the labor. They spent thirty-six hours in fruitless 

 attempts, but, having recruited their strength by sleep, finally 

 succeeded. They had neither the strength to chase turtle nor 

 the address to hook fish. Cocoanut-milk gradually revived the 

 men, who also received benefit from a fruit resembling a plum. 



The wind not allowing Carteret to follow Dampier's track 

 around New Britain, the idea struck him that St. George's Bay 

 might in reality be a channel dividing the island in twain. 

 This the event proved to be correct. On his way through, 

 he noticed three remarkable hills, which he called the Mother 

 and Daughters, the Mother being the middlemost and largest. 

 Leaving the southern portion of the island in possession of its 

 old name, New Britain, he called the northern portion New 

 Ireland. On leaving the channel, the vessel was in such a state 

 that no time or labor could be any longer devoted to science or 

 geography : the essential point was to reach some European set- 

 tlement. Carteret discovered numerous islands and groups, and, 

 after touching at Mindanao, arrived at Macassar, on the island 

 of Celebes, in March, 17G8. lie had buried thirteen of his men, 

 and thirty more were at the point of death : all the officers were 

 ill, and Carteret and his lieutenant almost unfit for duty. The 

 Dutch refused him permission to land, and Carteret determined 

 to run the ship ashore and fight for the necessaries of life, to 

 which their situation entitled them, and which they must either 

 obtain or perish. A boat, bearing several persons in authority, 

 put out to them, and commanded them to leave at once, at the 

 same time giving them two sheep and some fowls and fruit. 

 Carteret showed them the corpse of a man who had died that 

 morning, and whose life would probably have been saved had 

 provisions been at once afforded him. This somewhat shocked 

 them ; and they inquired very particularly whether he had been 

 among the Spice Islands, and, upon receiving a negative reply, 



