304 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1819. peared to possess a similar character with that 
sept. we had just been employed in exploring. 
On the 26th we got under weigh to return; 
but, having to work against a contrary breeze, 
made no farther progress than the anchorage oc- 
cupied on the 23d. The smokes of many fires 
were seen during the day ; but in this country, 
where every thing is so parched and dry, a fire 
will lie dormant a considerable time, and, as the 
breeze springs up, the flames will kindle and run 
along in the direction of the wind for many miles. 
27 . The next day, at half-past twelve o’clock, when 
the ebb tide began to make, the wind freshened up 
from S.E., and soon carried us into the narrows: 
it then veered round to the eastward, and after 
half an hour’s calm, a strong sea-breeze set in 
against us ; but the tide being in our favour, we 
made quick progress, until half an hour before 
the time of low water, when we anchored under 
the north-west end of Adolphus Island. 
I have this day to record the death of one of 
the crew, William Nicholls, who, for some time 
past, and particularly during the last three days, 
had been suffering from a dropsical complaint ; 
his death was occasioned by suffocation, having 
very imprudently laid down with his head to 
leeward while we were under sail: this poor 
