286 A VOYAGE TO 
1779. and having, ever fince, been exceedingly leaky, it was ima- 
gined that fome of her timbers had ftarted. Captain Gore 
therefore fent the carpenters of the Refolution to aftift our 
own in repairing her; and accordingly, the fore-hold being 
cleared, to lighten her forward, they were fet to work, to 
rip the damaged fheathing from the larboard bow. This 
operation difcovered, that three feet of the third fbrake, un¬ 
der the wale, were ftaved, and the timbers within darted. 
A tent was next ere6ted, for the accommodation of fuch of 
our people as were employed on fliore; and a party were 
fent a mile into the country, to the Northward of the har¬ 
bour, to fell timber. The obfervatories were eredfted at the 
Weft end of the village, near a tent, in which Captain Gore 
and myfelf took up our abode. 
Thurfday 26, The farther we proceeded in removing the fheathing, 
the more we difcovered of the decayed ftate of the ftiip’s 
hull. The next morning, eight feet of a plank in the 
wale were found to be fo exceedingly rotten, as to make it 
neceftary to fhift it. This left us for fome time at a ftand, 
as nothing was to be found, in either fhip, wherewith to 
replace it, unlefs we chofe to cut up a top-maft ; an expe¬ 
dient not to be had recourfe to, till all others failed. The 
carpenters were therefore fent on fhore in the afternoon, 
in fearch of a tree big enough for the purpofe. Luckily 
they found a birch, which I believe was the only one of 
fufficient fize in the whole neighbourhood of the bay, and 
which had been fawed down by us when we were laft 
here ; fo that it had the advantage of having lain fome time 
to feafon. This w 7 as fliaped on the fpot, and brought on 
board the next morning. 
As the feafon was now fo far advanced, I was fearful left 
any delay or hindrance fhould arife, on our parts, to Captain 
Gore’s 
