254 
SHIPWRECK. 
placed ourselves upon them above the rise of the tide, and having 
taken our fire-arms from the boats, they immediately returned to 
the ship. 
Several gentlemen now went forward over the rocks, and soon 
returned with intelligence that land was not far a-head. A party 
was therefore dispatched to examine it more closely; and proceeding 
in the direction of the shore discovered a more convenient landing 
place, and a small hill on which an encampment might be formed. 
Several men Were immediately dispatched to this place to fell trees, 
and to clear a space for the reception of persons and baggage ; and 
a marine was stationed on a projecting rock to direct the boats to 
the new landing-place as they successively approached the island. 
We had now leisure to contemplate some of the circumstances of 
our situation. Spars and planks, the remains of a boat, and the 
marks of fires scattered amongst the rocks on which we first obtained 
footing, indicated that other unfortunates had, at some period, found 
on the same island a doubtful asylum. The roots of trees intertwining 
with each other, and forming arches over a bog which exhaled a dis- 
gusting effluvia, formed the path from this place to the hill. No 
vestige of a human habitation was visible, and the discordant screech- 
ing of a bird alone marked the presence of any animated being. The 
heat of the day as it advanced, and the exertions of the men in 
clearing the ground, produced great thirst, and rendered it neces- 
sary immediately to seek for water, of which scarcely any had been 
saved. A search for this purpose -was conducted in several direc- 
tions without success ; and night coming on, was relinquished in the 
hopes of better fortune on the morrow. 
During the whole day, and till a late hour in the evening, boats 
were employed in bringing provisions and baggage from the ship. 
At the commencement of the evening all those who had landed 
being assembled at the place of encampment on the hill, a table 
formed of boxes and hampers was covered with what provisions 
were at hand. The Ambassador, the gentlemen of his suit, and 
the officers on shore, sat down to a gloomy and unrefreshing meal ; 
