544 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779. water. Upon his return, he reported, that, at two cables 
t Jai ^: ll> \ lengths from the fhore, he had found no foundings with a 
line of one hundred and fixty fathoms; that, when he 
landed, he found no lire am or fpring, but only rain-water, 
depolited in holes upon the rocks ; and even that was 
brackifh from the fpray of the fea; and that the furface of 
the country was entirely compofed of flags and allies, with 
a few plants here and there interfperfed. Between ten and 
eleven, we faw with pleafure the Difcovery coming round 
the South point of the illand; and, at one in the afternoon, 
Ihe joined us. Captain Clerke then coming on board, in¬ 
formed me, that he had cruifed four or five days where we 
were feparated, and then plied round the Eaft fide of the 
ifland; but that, meeting with unfavourable winds, he had 
been carried to fome diflance from the coaft. He had one 
of the iflanders on board, all this time ; who had remained 
there from choice, and had refufed to quit the fhip, though 
opportunities had offered. 
-Thurfday 7. Having fpent the night handing off and on, we flood 
in again the next morning, and when we were about a 
league from the fhore, many of the natives vifited us. At 
noon, the obferved latitude was 19 0 ff, and the longitude, 
by the time-keeper, was 203° 26'; the ifland extending from 
South, 74 0 Eaft, to North, 13 0 Weft; the neareft part two 
leagues diftant. 
Friday 8 . At day-break on the 8th, we found that the currents, 
during the night, which we fpent in plying, had carried us 
back confiderably to windward; fo that we were now off the 
South Weft point of the ifland. There we brought to, in 
order to give the natives an opportunity of trading with us. 
At noon our obferved latitude was 19 0 1', and our longi¬ 
tude, by the time-keeper, was 203° 13'; the South Weft 
point 
