416 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1820. It has been already stated, that the construc- 
SeptTsi. tion of the Mermaid was rather sharp, so that 
it was necessary to land every thing before it 
would be safe to lay her on the ground: her masts 
were therefore struck, and the sails, being sent 
on shore, were suspended to trees and converted 
into tents for the preservation of our provisions 
and stores, and for habitations for the officers 
and crew. 
Our anchorage was four hundred yards distant 
from the beach ; which, since the vessel took the 
ground at low water, was as near as we could 
prudently approach it, but sufficiently close to 
protect our property from the natives until every 
thing was landed. None had as yet appeared, 
but, the country having been lately fired, and 
the impression of a man’s foot having been 
noticed on the sand when we landed in the 
morning, gave evident proofs that they w,ere not 
far off. On the beach were the remains of 
several huts ; but they did not appear to have 
been recently occupied: in order, however, to 
avoid surprise or loss, the stores and provisions, 
that had been landed in the evening, were placed 
at a distance from the grass and trees, and co- 
vered over with a sail : near this pile our four- 
pounder was planted, loaded with musquet balls, 
ready to be fired at a moment’s warning. 
