porter's journal. 



167 



Will sail from here to-morrow, the Montezuma, Baxter, 

 and Policy, Bowman, on a whale cruise. At the foot of 

 this will he found the quantity of oil each ship has on board, . 



S* 



Montezuma, 1300 bbls. sperm oil ; 20 ditto black fish. 

 Policy, 1500 bbls. sperm oil ; 25 ditto ditto. 

 Plenty of turpen at the springs, and some at Pat's landing. 



On the 23d I tacked to the eastward, and on the 24th 

 discovered Hood's Island, bearing northwest, distant ten 

 leagues. As we now had a good breeze from the south- 

 ward, I determined to look in there, with the hope of meet- 

 ing one of the enemy's vessels, and consequently bore away, 

 with the vessels in company. But, toward evening, the 

 wind grew light and baffling, and a strong current setting 

 directly on the southeast point of the island, we had great 

 difficulty in preventing our ships from being drifted on shore, 

 even after we had succeeded in getting them on the other 

 tack. We made every exertion all night to keep to windward, 

 but without effect; for in the morning Gardner's Island 

 bore west, about three leagues distant. Charles' Island was 

 plain in sight, and, to add to the mortification, the Monte- 

 zuma (which we had discontinued towing during the nighty 

 on account of our own safety) was as far to leeward as we 

 could see her. I found it was in vain to struggle against this 

 eternal current with such dull sailers, and saw no hope of 

 holding our own but at anchor. Our want of water was very 

 pressing, and there appeared no prospect of getting into the 

 continent to procure a supply. I therefore determined to 

 bear away, look into the harbour of Charles' Island, and pro- 

 ceed from thence to the island of Cocos, looking into Banks^ 

 Bay in my way there. I had also some hope of meeting the 

 Georgiana, or hearing from her, at Charles' Island. I was 

 the more strongly induced to bear away, as captain Randall 

 informed me, the preceding evening, that he had discovered 

 some of the garbage of whales floating on the surface of the 

 water near Hood's Island, a certain indication of whalers 

 having been lately there. As I believed there were now 

 a greater number about Albemarle than could be managed 

 by lieutenant Downes, I thought it most adviseable to pro« 

 ceed there, entertaining, at the same time, a hope, that by 

 their capture we should be enabled to procure a supply of 



