PORTER S JOL KNAL, 



161 



ance, having a bad taste and smell, and filled abundantly 

 with slime anid insects. But to us it was a treasure too 

 precious to lose, and the greatest industry was used to save 

 every drop of it, for fear that the sun, which was evapo- 

 rating it rapidly, should cheat us of our prize. 



In order that no means should be left untried to procure 

 a large supply of water, I caused two wells to be dug in the 

 most likely places for finding it ; but, after digging a consi- 

 derable depth, salt water flowed in, and disappointed our 

 hopes. I also sent on shore a wooding party, which soon 

 procured us as large a supply of fuel as we stood in need of. 



Early in the morning of the third day of our arrival, a 

 sail was discovered to the westward, standing in for the 

 island. I immediately caused preparation to be made for 

 sending the boats after her, as the wind was very light ; but 

 on her nearer approach, when she made her private signal, 

 discovered it to be the Georgiana. Her arrival, although 

 unexpected, gave me much pleasure ; and on lieutenant 

 Downes coming on board, he informed me, that, on dou- 

 bling the southwest part of the island which we had supposed 

 to be James', he had discovered several other small islands, 

 and had experienced rapid currents, which had put the 

 safety of his ship in jeopardy, as they had swept him very 

 near to a high rock, which lies in a passage of about two 

 miles wide, formed by the southwest part of the island and 

 another smaller island. He had felt the same embarrass- 

 ments as myself with respect to the island, and it was with 

 no little difficulty that he extricated himself from the dan- 

 gers of rocks and breakers, with which he was environed in 

 this unknown navigation. After getting clear of them, and 

 finding himself in the neighbourhood of Charles' Island, he 

 had determined to look in there before going to Albemarle, 

 in hopes of meeting a prize, little expecting to find me 

 there at anchor. 



After lieutenant Downes had been with me a short time, 

 I despatched him to Albemarle, in pursuit of the stranger 

 who had touched at the island before us, directing him to 

 stop at Charles' Island as soon afterwards as possible, and, 

 should he not find me there, to search at the foot of the 

 stake to which the letter-box is attached, where I should 

 bury a bottle containing instructions for bini» 



VOL, I« 21 ' 



