150 
PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
the same time, that the weather was hazy, and as the bay is about 
35 miles from side to side, and about the same depth, it was 
possible for vessels to have been there without his being able to 
observe them. We did not wish to believe that the bay was 
destitute of vessels ; and while there was room to build a hope of 
meeting the enemy, we kept our spirits up with the expectation 
of finding them, either in the bay, or at anchor in a cove called 
the Bason, on the Albemarle side of the passage between Eliza¬ 
beth and Banks’ Bay, where the whalers frequently go to refit and 
wood, and get tortoises, and where, at times, a small quantity of 
fresh water may be obtained, but never more than 60 gallons per 
day, and seldom so large a quantity, and this only after heavy 
rains. Lieut. Downes brought with him several turtle of a very 
large size, and different in their appearance either from the 
green, hawks-bill, loggerhead, or trunk turtle; they jvere shaped 
much like the green turtle, but were of a black, disagreeable ap¬ 
pearance and smell; and as I was apprehensive they might pro¬ 
duce some unpleasant consequences should they be eaten by the 
crew, I directed them to be thrown overboard, though many con¬ 
tended that they were as good and as innocent as any others. 
The winds continued light and a-head, and the current strong 
against us, and it was not till the afternoon of the 23d that we were 
enabled to weather Narborough ; but during this interval every 
person was anxiously looking out day and night, with the momen¬ 
tary expectation of seeing vessels; and so fully was I of the be¬ 
lief that 1 should fall in with a force that would offer some re¬ 
sistance, that I considered it most prudent to clear away the guns 
every night, and keep the hammocks stowed in the nettings, so 
as to be prepared for any force that might be assembled. On 
doubling the point of Narborough, our yards were completely 
manned by seamen and officers, whose anxiety had taken them 
aloft, all examining strictly every part of the bay, but could dis¬ 
cover no vessels ; at length the ciy of sail ho ! and shortly after¬ 
wards another,,seemed to electrify every man onboard, and it seem¬ 
ed now as if all our hopes and expectations were to be realized; 
but in a few minutes those illusory prospects vanished, and as sud¬ 
den dejection, proceeding from disappointment, took place; for 
