PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
231 
con, a considerable variety of smaller birds, some resembling the 
small common sparrow, some not unlike the brown Canary-bird, 
the small black bird found in Charles’ Island, and a black bird 
with a red breast. We saw but few seals, and the only aquatic 
birds we met with, were pelicans, boobies, and petrells. A few small 
snakes were seen, much resembling the common American strip¬ 
ed snake, and a great number of lizards. In ths bottom of the 
crater of the northern mountain, near the foot of which we landed, 
some of my sailors (who had been there in search of tortoises) in¬ 
formed me that they had found one barrel of fresh water contain¬ 
ed in the hollow of a rock. This is the only fresh water we found 
on any part of the island, and it cannot be come at without the 
greatest difficulty and danger, which none would attempt to over¬ 
come but such as, like our sailors, had long been confined on ship¬ 
board ; for, feeling all restraint removed while on shore, they de¬ 
lighted in making an extensive range, and in overcoming difficul¬ 
ties which to others seemed insurmountable. From this place 
we procured about seventy-five tortoises ; but as the men had to 
bring them from a distance not less than three miles, and as the 
fatigue was excessive, this was the only time we visited it, as the 
parties which went to the north-east part of the island were more 
successful, and gave a more favourable account of the facility of 
getting them down to the beach. They reported also, that there 
was every appearance of good anchorage on the north-east, in a 
bay not inferior in its appearance to the one we were then occu¬ 
pying. Mr. Adams, with his usual zeal, proceeded to sound and 
survey it, and reported anchorage about half a mile from the 
shore, in 13 fathoms, sandy bottom. This bay was distant from 
where we lay about 18 miles; I gave it the name of Adams’ 
Bay. 
I proceeded to examine Fresh-water bay, and Fresh-water val¬ 
ley, as they are called by Colnet; in the former there are appear¬ 
ances of anchorage. We found great quantities of broken jars, 
such as the Spaniards transport their liquids in ; a deep ravine, 
evidently formed by violent torrents ; but it was perfectly dry, 
and had the appearance of having long been so. Three separate 
times I examined Fresh-water valley, when we first arrived, and 
