336 
SURVEY OF THE 1NTERTROPICAL 
1819. we kept between the Islands of Savu and Rottee, 
Oct. 25 . we found no perceptible current against us, al- 
though the wind was constantly from the S.E. 
26 . On the 26th the contents of one of our remain- 
ing casks of water was found to be so bad, that 
it could not be used for any purpose ; upon ex- 
amination, it turned out that the cask had been 
constructed at Port Jackson of the staves of old 
salt-provision barrels. This loss, amounting to 
two days’ water, we could but ill spare: two or 
three gallons were collected from the rain which 
fell during the evening ; and this trifling supply, 
although it had a tarry taste, was acceptable in 
our present circumstances. 
The next morning was calm. A small coast- 
ing proa was seen to the northward, but soon 
afterwards lost sight of, steering towards Timor. 
28 « At daylight (28th) land was seen, bearing 
E.|N. ; at noon our latitude was 9° 45' 32" ; and, 
by the morning and evening sights for the chro- 
nometers, a current had set us to the N. 81° W. 
at nearly one mile and a quarter per hour. The 
wind, hanging between S.E. and S.S.E., pre- 
vented our tacking to the southward to get out 
of the current, which, on our first experiencing it, 
was thought to have been occasioned by a set 
through the strait of Rottee ; it was, however, 
afterwards found that we were on the southern 
