PORTER’S JOURNAL, 
m 
with this view returned to the ship to make the necessary ar¬ 
rangements, and on my way loaded my boat with some excellent 
fish. 
On landing at the beach leading to the spring, we found fresh 
embers, and a tortoise, which had not been killed apparently more 
than two days; and on our way to the spring w r e found innumera¬ 
ble testimonies of persons having been recently there: there 
was also on the beach a pair of mockasons, made of English 
canvas, and a tortoise shell containing about two quarts of Eng¬ 
lish barley. 
This part of the island abounds with tortoises, which frequent 
the springs for the sake of the water, and upwards of 30 of them 
were turned on their backs by us, as they came down to drink, 
during the short time we remained there, which was not more 
than an hour and a half; but w'e were enabled to bring down 
but one, and he was selected more for his antiquated appearance 
than for his size or supposed excellence. His weight was exact¬ 
ly 197 pounds, but he was far from being considered of a large 
size. 
As I returned from the spring, I could not help reflecting on 
the extraordinary scheme that I was about attempting to procure 
water, and was almost appalled by the obstacles which presented 
themselves ; for, in addition to the difficulties of getting it down 
to the beach, it would be necessary there to put it into large 
casks, and from thence raft it to the ship, a distance of six miles, 
through a high sea, and sometimes against rapid currents ; and 
to these evils must be added the danger and inconvenience of 
having one half of my crew at least separated from the ship, thus 
leaving not only her but our prizes exposed, in a defenceless 
state, to the attacks of an enemy. As water was to be procured 
in that part of the island, I thought it not unlikely that it might 
be found near the bay in which we lay ; and well knowing the 
roving disposition of seamen, I determined to let a party go on 
shore to amuse themselves, confidently believing, if water was to 
be found within two or three miles of us, it would be discovered 
by them; and on their return at night I was not disappointed, for 
they informed me that they had found upwards of 40 or 50 bar- 
