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search of. In this rock I found four holes, each about fouf- 

 teen inches square, and from six to seven deep, which had 

 apparently been cut by some person with a pickaxe, for 

 the purpose of catching the water as it dripped from the 

 rocks above. At this time they contained only a little 

 stinking water, as salt as brine, which had been thrown in 

 by the sea. I caused them to be cleared out, but could 

 not perceive, during the hour that 1 remained there, that 

 ^ny water whatever flowed into them, and I am persuaded 

 that no water can ever be found there, except after heavy 

 rains, and then only in small quantities ; for the whole 

 island is a light and thirsty soil, composed entirely of vol- 

 canic matter, and probably owes its origin to no distant pe- 

 riod, for the volcanic cinders and other appearances lying 

 on every part of the surface, as well as the innumerable 

 craters, and hills composed of ashes and lava, all apparent- 

 ly fresh, and in most parts destitute of verdure, sufficiently 

 prove that they have not loiig been thrown from the bowels 

 of the ocean. These thirsty mountains, like a sponge, soak 

 from the passing clouds the moisture, which serves to keep 

 alive the scanty vegetation scattered over their sides ; but 

 they permit none of it to escape in springs or streams of 

 water, for the support of animal life. On the side of a 

 rock at this watering-place, we found the names of several 

 Enghsh and American ships cut, whose crews had been 

 there ; and but a short distance from thence was erected a 

 hut, built of loose stones, but destitute of a roof. In the 

 Iieighbourhood of it were scattered, in considerabie quanti- 

 ties, the bones and shells of land and sea tortoises. This I 

 afterwards understood was the work of a wretched English 

 sailor, who had been landed there by his captain, destitute 

 of every thing, for having used some insulting language to 

 him. Here he existed near a year on land tortoises and 

 guanas, and his sole dependence for water was on the pre- 

 carious supply he could get from the drippings of the rocks ; 

 at length, finding that no one was likely to come to take 

 him from thence, and fearful of perishing for the want of 

 water, he formed a determination to attempt at all hazards 

 getting into Banks' Bay, where the ships cruise for whales. 

 With this view he provided himself with two seal skins, with 

 which, blown up, he formed a float ; and, after hazarding 

 destruction from the sharks, which frequently attacked his 



