PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
17 - 5 . 
fore, or from any description that could be givep of her. While 
we lay here, I permitted all the prisoners to go on shore when¬ 
ever they wished it, as many of them were affected with the 
scurvy ; but one in particular was so bad with it as to be scarcely 
able to move ; but on getting him on shore, where he could pro¬ 
cure a kind of sorrel and the prickly pear, and burying his legs 
in the earth every day, he was so far recovered before our de¬ 
parture, as scarcely to complain of his disease, and could walk as 
briskly as any among us, assisting frequently in bringing down 
water and tortoises from the rocks and mountains. 
We here fornd the tomb of a seaman, who had been buried 
4c 
five years before, from a ship called the Georgiana, commanded 
by capt. Pitts, the captain of one of our prizes of the same name; 
and over it was erected a white board, bearing an inscription, 
neatly executed, shewing his age, See. and terminating with the 
following epitaph, which I insert more on account of the extreme 
simplicity of the verse, and its powerful and flattering appeal to 
the feelings, than for its elegance, or the correctness of the com¬ 
position : 
Gentle reader, as you pass by, 
As you are now, so wonce was I; 
As now my body is in the dust, 
I hope in heaven my soul to rest. 
The spot where his remains were deposited was shaded by 
two lofty thorn-bushes, which afforded an agreeable shade and 
fragrance, and became the favourite resort of our men at their 
meals ; the pile of stones (which had been piously placed over 
the grave by his ship-mates) serving them both for table and seat, 
where they indulged themselves amply in their favourite food, and 
quaffed many a can of grog to his poor soul’s rest! 
On the 20th May, in the morning, discovered the two whale¬ 
boats returning with Mr. Adams from the island they had been 
sent to survey ; and as I was apprehensive that they had exhaust¬ 
ed their stock of water, I dispatched a boat with a supply, which 
proved very acceptable, as they had been eighteen hours without 
