144 



porter's Journal- 



some mangrove trees, we found a great many more, and 

 succeeded ia turning upwards of thirty of them, all of that 

 species called the green turtle, and most of them upwards 

 of three hundred weight. At both these places I caused 

 large fires to be made, and on my return to the ship, where 

 I did not arrive until dark, I despatched two boats to bring 

 them olf. The fires guided them to the .spot 5 but on their 

 arrival on board next morning they brought with them only 

 ten, as a sudden rise of the tide (a circumstance we had not 

 sufficiently guarded against) had enabled the rest to make 

 their escape. Of those that were brought along-side, one of 

 the largest among them was lost overboard in getting it on 

 board. We however had enough remaining to give two or 

 three fresh messes to all hands. 



As the Barclay had not been enabled to get into the bay, 

 in consequence of the violence of the current, and as we 

 had lost sight of her, I concluded it best to run out and see 

 what had become of her. At twelve o'clock discovered 

 lier standing in for the bay, under a press of canvas, with 

 a fresh breeze from the westward, while we had it from the 

 eastward. I had not yet made up my mind whether to re- 

 main in the bay a few days to await the arrival of vessels 

 there, or to look around among the other islands for them. 

 One great object with me now was to find a convenient 

 place for watering my ship. None such was to be found 

 at Albemarle, and I had but little hopes of being able to 

 find any at the other islands ; but as I had understood that 

 some fresh water was to be had at times at James' Island, 

 which lies at a short distance from Albemarle, I believed it 

 would be adviseable to proceed to that place, which is said 

 to be much frequented by English whalers and smugglers, 

 who resort there for wood and land tortoises. Consider- 

 ing the time I had been from the United States, during 

 which period many of my crew had not been on shore, I 

 thought it necessary, on account of their health, to take 

 them where they could have an opportunity of getting on 

 shore among the trees, the odour arising from which is said 

 to be the most powerful antiscorbutic known. I deter- 

 mined, however, before I adopted any plan for future ope- 

 rations, to obtain from captain Randall his opinion respect- 

 ing the cause of this unexpected absence of British ships 

 from Eank^' Bay, for I could not imagine any reason for it 



