rOIxTER S JOURNAL. 



1791 



after heavy rains, vessels may be enabled to procure, as we 

 did, a supply from the hollows of the rocks at Charles' 

 Island. It may, therefore, not be unnecessary to describe 

 the place, in order that it may be found with more ease. 



At each end of the longest beach, or landing-place, op- 

 posite the anchorage, in Essex Bay, is a deep ravine, form- 

 ed by the torrents of water which come, during the heavy 

 rains, from the mountains, and are bedded with a hard and 

 porous kind of rock, or lava. We ascended each of those, 

 to the distance of from one and a half to two miles, where 

 we found small hollows, containing, some half a barrel, and 

 others more, but seldom any that contained more than six 

 or seven barrels. But, as incredible as it may appear to 

 those who may hereafter visit this island, and see the diffi- 

 culties of approaching this strange watering-place, we took 

 from thence to the ship, in three days, about seventy bar- 

 rels of water, besides a considerable quantity in kegs and 

 jugs belonging to individuals, and considered as a private 

 stock, amounting, in all, perhaps, to ten or twelve barrels 

 more. 



It may also be necessary to describe more particularly 

 the route to the springs, in order that it may be found by 

 those Avho have not been there before. On the west part 

 of the island, about six miles from Essex Bay, is a dark 

 sandy beach, called by the whalers, by way of distinction, 

 the Black Beach, opposite to which is an anchorage for 

 vessels, though much exposed to the prevalent winds, and 

 to a heavy swell which is setting in there, and I have reason 

 to beheve the bottom is foul, therefore do not consider it 

 by any means a safe anchorage. From the aforesaid beach 

 is a pathway, much trodden, which leads directly to the 

 springs ; and this pathway once found, there can be no dif- 

 ficulty in finding them. They are about three miles dis- 

 tant from the shore, and an abundance of water was to be 

 had when we were*there. The road here is the best in the 

 island, though in many places steep and difficult. 



The hints already given, intended chiefly for those who 

 may be in pursuit of whalers, may also be of some service 

 to whalers themselves. But as my transactions about these 

 islands have put me in possession of much information re- 

 specting the best situations for catching spermaceti whales, 

 the practices of those who follow that business, and the im- 



