64 Porter's Voyage 



some coercive measures, in order to restore to the captains the 

 necessary authority to keep them in order. But, after reasoning 

 with them on the impropriety of their conduct, they became 

 more orderly, and made sail to the southward, giving us at their 

 departure three hearty cheers, and many (I believe sincere) good 

 wishes for our success, and safe return to America. 



As the Seringapatam proved to be a fast-sailing ship, and was 

 in every respect calculated for a man of war, (and indeed was 

 built for one, in India, for Tippoo Saib,) I determined to render 

 her as formidable as possible, that, in case of any accident hap- 

 pening to the Essex, our cruise might not be entirely broken up. 

 With this view I sent the gunners and carpenters to work on her, 

 and in a few days she was completely equipped, with twenty-two 

 guns mounted on her. I gave her in charge to Mr. Terry, mas- 

 ter's mate, with directions not to separate from us, and placed the 

 New-Zealander under the charge of Mr. Shaw, the purser, with 

 similar instructions. 



We continued our ineffectual exertions to get to the south-east, 

 and on the 22d, discovered Wenam's Island, bearing S. S. E., 

 and Culpepper's Island, bearing W. N. W. 



Wenam's Island, like the Gallipagos, is evidently of volcanic 

 origin. It is thinly scattered on its summit with withered shrub- 

 bery ; its sides are every where inaccessible ; it affords no an- 

 chorage; is seven or eight miles in circuit, and has two small 

 islets, one off the southeast, the other off the northwest parts, 

 but neither more than one hundred yards from the island. But 

 there is no danger, except from the rapidity of the currents, in 

 approaching it on any side, and there is every where water 

 enough for the largest ship to lie within a few yards of the shore. 

 We saw here but a few turtle, and only one seal. The only 

 birds we saw, were the man-of-war kawk, garnets, gulls, and the 

 black petrel, all of which were very abundant. On the north- 

 west side I discovered the mouth of a cave, very small at the 

 entrance, into which I went with my boat, and proceeded, as 

 near as I can judge, about one hundred yards; and, judging 

 from the beating of the sea against the sides, and the echo from 

 the top, I supposed it to be there, forty yards wide, and twenty 

 yards high. We were, however, in perfect obscurity, and the 

 apprehension of not finding my way out again prevented my pro- 

 ceeding farther. The water was every where of sufficient depth 

 to float a ship of the line, and in this cavern, and at its mouth, 

 we caught the most of our fish. 



On the 24th, I determined, for several reasons, to send the 

 Georgiana to the United States. Every arrangement being made, 

 the G-eorgiana left us on the 25th of July, giving us a salute and 

 three cheers at her departure. We had an opportunity, by this 



