[ 6 37 ] 
eafk three inches on each fide. Having now got my 
apparatus in readinefs, I put feven quarts of fea- 
water, and an ounce of foap, into my pot, and fet 
it on the fire. The cover was kept from rifing by a 
prop of wood to the bow. We fixed on the head, 
and into it the long wooden pipe above-mentioned, 
which was wide enough to receive the end of the 
pewter one into its cavity. We eafily made the joint 
tight. 
I need not tell thee with what anxiety I waited 
for fuccefs : but I was foon relieved ; for, as foon 
as the pot boiled, the water began to run ; and in 
twenty-eight minutes I got a quart of frefh water. I 
tried it with an hydrometer I had on board, and 
found it as light as river- water ; but it had a rank 
oily tafte, which I imagine was given it by the foap. 
This tafte diminished confiderably in two or three 
days, but not fo much as to make it quite palateable. 
Our fiieep and fowls drank this water very greedily 
without any ill effects. We conftantly kept our ftill 
at work, and got a gallon of water every two hours ; 
which, if there had been a neceftity to drink it, 
would have been fufficient for our (hip’s crew. 
I now thought of trying to get water more palate- 
able ; and often perufed the pamphlet above-men- 
tioned, efpecially the quotation from Sir R. Hawkins’s 
voyage, who “ with four billets diftilled a hogfhead 
“ of water wholfome and nourifhing.” I concluded 
he had delivered this account under a veil, left his 
method Should be difcovered : for it is plain, that 
by four bidets he could not mean the fuel, as they 
would fcarce warm a hogShead of water. When, 
ruminating on this, it came into my head, that he 
burat 
