172 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP. After a time, finding themselves undisturbed, they gained con- 
fidence, and deferred their departure till thirteen months had elapsed 
Feb. from the time of their landing. At the expiration of which period, 
being in good bodily health and supplied with necessaries for their 
voyage, they again launched upon the ocean in quest of home. 
They steered two days and nights to the north west, and then fell 
in with a small island, upon which, as it appeared to be uninhabited, 
they landed, and remained three days, and then resumed their voyage. 
After a run of a day and a night they came in sight of another unin- 
habited island. In their attempt to land upon it their canoe was unfor- 
tunately stove, but all the party got safe on shore. The damage which the 
vessel had sustained requiring several weeks to repair, they established 
themselves upon this island, and again commenced storing up provision 
for their voyage. Eight months had already passed in these occupations, 
when w^e unexpectedly found them thus encamped upon Byam Martin 
Island ; with their canoe repaired, and all the necessary stores provided 
for their next expedition. The other two canoes were never heard of. 
Several parts of this curious history strongly favoured the pre- 
sumption that the island upon which the party first landed and esta- 
blished themselves was Barrow Island ; and, in order to have it con- 
firmed, the piece of iron that had been brought from thence, and had 
fortunately been preserved, was produced. Tuwarri, when he saw it, 
immediately exclaimed that it was the piece of iron he had broken in 
two to form the shark-hook, which w^as the means of preserving the 
lives of his party, and said that the tree we found cut down with some 
sharp edged tool was that which his party felled before their strength 
enabled them to climb for the fruit ; and hence the huts, the pools of 
w^ater, the canoes, &c. were the remains of their industry. 
This curious discovery enabled us to form a tolerably accurate idea 
of the distance the canoe had been drifted by the gale, as Barrow 
Island is 420 miles in a direct line from Chain Island, their native 
place; and if to this be added 100 miles for the progress they made 
during the first two days toward Maitea, and the distance they went 
on their return before they reached Barrow Island, the whole cannot 
amount to much less than 600 miles. 
