THE PACIFIC OCEAN, 
185 
and one of them joined the party, after having been ab- 
fent twenty-four hours, and been in great diflrefs. Not a 
drop of frefh water could be had, for there is none upon 
the whole ifland ; nor was there a Angle cocoa-nut tree on 
that part of it. In order to allay his third, he had recourfe 
to the Angular expedient of killing turtles, and drinking 
their blood. His mode of refrefhing himfelf, when weary, 
of which he faid he felt the good effects, was equally whim- 
fical. He undreffed himfelf, and lay down for fome time 
in the fhallow water upon the beach. 
It was a matter of furprize to every one, how thefe two 
men could contrive to lofe themfelves. The land over which 
they had to travel, from the fea-coafl to the lagoon , where 
the boats lay, was not more than three miles acrofs; nor 
was there any thing to obflrudl their view ; for the country 
was a flat, with a few flirubs fcattered upon it; and, from 
many parts of it, the mails of the fhips could eafily be feen. 
But this was a rule of direction they never once thought of; 
nor did they recollect in what quarter of the Aland the fhips 
had anchored ; and they were as much at a lofs how to get 
back to them, or to the party they had draggled from, as if 
they had but juft dropped from the clouds. Confidering 
how flrange a fet of beings the generality of feamen are, 
when on fliore, inftead of being furprized that thefe two 
men fliould thus lofe their way, it is rather to be wondered 
at, that no more of the party were miffing. Indeed, one 
of thofe who landed with me, was in a fimilar fitnation ; but 
he had fagacity enough to know that the fhips were to lee¬ 
ward, and got on board almofl as foon as it was di(covered 
that he had been left behind. 
As foon as Captain Clerke knew, that one of the ftragglers 
was flill in this awkward fitnation, he fent a party in fearch 
Vol. IE B b of 
1777. 
December. 
