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Oct* 17* 
P%’-W’ 
Ocrfe# 18 f 
ao unfortunate as not to get into deep water before night* This, 
ever, with excessive labour, was effected* Though the ship was still 
in a critical situation, it was absolutely necessary to give rest 
B$r people| and providentially a perfect calm reigned during the 
or w® must all have perished* 
At day-light, the weather being fine, we again warped forwardsj 
and shortly after X dispatched half of my crew in search of the 
different artioles we had thrown into the seat and to my great 
satisfaction, by five in the afternoon, everything was recovered* 
While engaged in the searoh, they found a piece of the false keel of 
the vessel, which had been broken off by her striking* and as she 
struck repeatedly, but little of this keel could be left* yet, for 
the last twenty-four hours, the water in her hold had not exceeded 
twelve inches* 
At seven in the evening, having reached a depth of eight fathoms, 
we oast anchor* When the depth of water, which during the period of 
our difficulty, had bean from three to six fathoms, is considered, it 
might be supposed, that we could have warped off much sooner* but it 
must be remembered, that the coral bottom, by continually cutting our 
cables, stopped the progress of our work* and that we had another ob¬ 
struction, in the excessive heat of the weather* As 1 felt myself 
indisposed from fatigue, X did not, as had been my intention, go on 
shore this evening, but sent some of my officers, who, after an 
absence of two hours, returned, bringing with them four large seals, 
which they had killed on the beach with handspikes* 
' 1 - I 
On the 18th, the wind continuing perfectly calm, and the weather 
fine, we again warped with all possible expedition further northward* 
Desirous of examining the place, which, by its situation, appeared to 
be of great importance to navigation, I went on shore in the morning 
with several of my officers, leaving orders on board for the ship to 
go out to sea, should a fair wind spring up* and, after clearing every 
danger, to wait for us* The surf was so great, that we could with 
difficulty land at a small bay, where we found numerous birds of dif¬ 
ferent kinds, and seals of an enormous else* On landing, we were 
auoh annoyed by the birds, many of which made their attack flying, 
while others ran after us, pecking at our legs* it was with difficulty 
we could keep them off, even with our canes* The seals lay on their 
backs along the beach, motionless* Some measured in length more than 
seven feet* they scarcely stirred at our approach, or even deigned to 
open their eyes* Though, at another time the sight of these animals 
would have been extremely gratifying* yet, as we had objects in view 
of more importance, we passed on without molesting them** The heat 
of the day was excessive, and, almost at ever^/step, we sunk up to our 
knees in holes* that were oonoealed by overgrown creeping plants, and 
contained the nests, as we supposed, of various birds* for we often 
heard their cries under our feet from being trampled upon* Towards 
evening, having examined every thing worthy of notice, we fixed a high 
pole in the ground, and buried near it a bottle, containing a descrip¬ 
tion of our discovery of this island* We then returned on board, with 
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