42 BLIGH AND HIS CREW. 
had been commenced in the Bounty, for the 
insertion of signals, was now found very ser- 
viceable in the launch. This book was used by 
Bligh, who, in consequence of its exposure to 
the wet, found it difficult to make his notes. 
" It is with the utmost difficulty," he said, "that 
I can open a book to write; and I feel truly 
sensible I can do no more than point out where 
these lands are to be found, and give some idea 
of their extent." This manuscript is in the pos- 
session of his daughters, and is much blotted 
and weather-stained. 
In it he wrote on the 7th May, " Cloudy, and 
light winds ; squeezed shirts ; saved six gallons 
of water." 
On the 8th, the weather was calm and fair, 
which gave the voyagers an opportunity of dry- 
ing their clothes, and cleaning out the boat. 
Mr. Bligh also amused all hands, by relating to 
them a description of New Guinea and New 
Holland, and supplying them with every in- 
formation in his power, so that in case any 
fatal accident should happen to him, the sur- 
vivors might be able to pursue their course to 
Timor. 
At this time the whole day's allowance to each 
was an ounce and a half of pork, half a pint of 
cocoa-nut milk, an ounce of bread, and a tea- 
spoonful of rum. " Hitherto," says Bligh, " I 
had issued the allowance by guess ; but I now 
made a pair of scales with two cocoa-nut shells; 
and having accidentally some pistol-balls in the 
boat, twenty-five of which weighed one pound, 
or sixteen ounces, I adopted one of these balls 
