.JPORTEK S JOUF.NAL. 



were of a black, disagreeable appearance and smell. As X 

 was apprehensive they might produce some unpleasant con- 

 sequences should they be eaten by the crew, I directed 

 them to be thrown overboard, though many contended that 

 they were as good and as wholesome as any others. 



The winds continued light and ahead, and the current 

 strong against us, and it w?is not till the afternoon of the 

 23d, that we were enabled to weather Narborough ; but 

 during this interval every person was anxiously looking out 

 day and night, with the momentary expectation of seeing 

 vessels ; and so fully was I of the belief that I should fall in 

 with an enemy that would offer some resistance, that I 

 considered it most prudent to clear away the guns every 

 night, and keep the hammocks stowed in the nettings, so as 

 to be prepared for any force that might be assembled. On 

 doubling the point of Narborough, our yards were com- 

 pletely manned by seamen and officers, whose anxiety had 

 taken them aloft, all examining strictly every part of the 

 bay, but could discover no vessels. At length the cry of 

 sail ho! and shortly afterwards another, seemed to electrify 

 every man on board, and it seemed now as if all our 

 hopes and expectations were to be realized. But in a 

 few minutes those illusory prospects vanished, and as 

 sudden dejection, proceeding from disappointment, took 

 place ; for the supposed sails proved to be only white ap- 

 pearances on the shore. Still, however, we did not de- 

 spair ; we had not yet examined the basin ; perhaps it 

 might contain some vessels ; and, as we were now only 

 about five miles from it, lieutenant Downes was despatched 

 to reconnoitre, as well as to see if it was a suitable situation 

 for us to refit the ship, fill up our wood, and what quantity 

 of water could there be obtained. He did not get in until 

 after sundown, and returned to the ship at one o'clock in 

 the morning ; and, to complete our disappointment, report- 

 ed that he had seen no vessels. The account he gave of 

 the basin was such as to induce me to believe it would be 

 a secure harbour for the ship, as he made a favourable re^ 

 port of the depth of water and anchorage. But as it was 

 night, he could form but an imperfect notion of the form 

 of the harbour, nor could he give me any account of the wa- 

 tering-place, as he was not able to find it. He was equally 

 uninformed whether we should there be enabled to get 



