THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
179 
CHAP. X. 
Progrefs of the Voyage , after leaving the Society Iflands .—- 
Chriftmas Ijland difcovered ., and Station of the Ships there ,„ 
—Boats fent ajhore.—Great Succefs in catching Turtle.—An 
Eclipfe of the Sun obferved.—■.Diftrefs of tzvo Seamen who 
had loft their Way.—Infcription left in a Bottle.—Account 
of the Ijland.—Its Soil.—Trees and Plants. — Birds.—Its 
Size. — Form. — Situation.—Anchoring Ground. 
A FTER leaving Bolabola, I fteered to the Northward, 1777. 
clofe-hauled, with the wind between North Eaft t Dece ^ bcr ; 
and Eaft; hardly ever having it to the Southward of Monday b. 
Eaft, till after we had crofted the line, and had got into 
North latitudes. So that our courfe, made good, was al¬ 
ways to the Weft of North, and, fometimes, no better than 
North Weft. 
Though feventeen months had now elapfed ftnce our de¬ 
parture from England, during which, we had not, upon 
the whole, been unprofitably employed, I was fenfible that, 
with regard to the principal objecft of my inftrucftions, our 
voyage was, at this time, only beginning; and, therefore, 
my attention to every circumftance that might contribute 
toward our fafety, and our ultimate fuccefs, w'as now to be 
called forth anew. With this view I had examined into the 
ftate of our provifions at the laft iflands; and, as foon as 
I had left them, and got beyond the extent of my former 
A a a difcoveries, 
