A party was sent out by night to catch birds; they returned with only twelve noddies, but it is stated, that, had it not been for the folly and obstinacy of one of the party, who separated from the others and disturbed the birds, a great many more might have been taken.  The offender was Robert Lamb, who acknowledged, when he got to Java, that he had that night eaten nine raw birds, after he separated from his two companions.  The birds, with a few clams, were the whole of the supplies afforded at these small islands.

On the 3rd of June, after passing several keys and islands, and doubling Cape York, the north-easternmost point of New Holland, at eight in the evening the little boat and her brave crew once more launched into the open ocean.  ‘Miserable,’ says Lieutenant Bligh, ’as our situation was in every respect, I was secretly surprised to see that it did not appear to affect any one so strongly as myself; on the contrary, it seemed as if they had embarked on a voyage to Timor in a vessel sufficiently calculated for safety and convenience.  So much confidence gave me great pleasure, and I may venture to assert that to this cause our preservation is chiefly to be attributed.  I encouraged every one with hopes that eight or ten days would bring us to a land of safety; and, after praying to God for a continuance of His most gracious protection, I served out an allowance of water for supper, and directed our course to the west south-west.

’We had been just six days on the coast of New Holland, in the course of which we found oysters, a few clams, some birds and water.  But a benefit, probably not less than this, was that of being relieved from the fatigue of sitting constantly in the boat, and enjoying good rest at night.  These advantages certainly preserved our lives; and small as the supply was, I am very sensible how much it alleviated our distresses.  Before this time nature must have sunk under the extremes of hunger and fatigue.  Even in our present situation, we were most deplorable objects, but the hopes of a speedy relief kept up our spirits.  For my own part, incredible as it may appear, I felt neither extreme hunger nor thirst.  My allowance contented me, knowing that I could have no more.’  In his manuscript journal, he adds, ’This, perhaps, does not permit me to be a proper judge on a story of miserable people like us being at last driven to the necessity of destroying one another for food—­but, if I may be allowed, I deny the fact in its greatest extent.  I say, I do not believe that, among us, such a thing could happen, but death through famine would be received in the same way as any mortal disease.’[10]