I accordingly dispatched them at seven o’clock; and they returned laden by noon.  No time was lost in sending them back for another cargo; and they carried orders for every body to be on board by sunset.  This being complied with, we hoisted in the boats and made sail to the westward, with a light air of wind from the N.

We found this islet near a half larger than the other, and almost entirely covered with cocoa-palms, the greatest part of which abounded with excellent nuts, having often both old and young on the same tree.  They were, indeed, too thick in many places to grow with freedom.  The other productions were, in general, the same as at the other islet.  Two pieces of board, one of which was rudely carved, with an elliptical paddle, were found on the beach.  Probably these had belonged to the same canoe, the remains of which were seen on the other beach, as the two islets are not above half a mile apart.  A young turtle had also been lately thrown ashore here; as it was still full of maggots.  There were fewer crabs than at the last place; but we found some scorpions, a few other insects, and a greater number of fish upon the reefs.  Amongst these were some large eels, beautifully spotted, which, when followed, would raise themselves out of the water, and endeavour with an open mouth to bite their pursuers.  The other sorts were chiefly parrot-fish, snappers, and a brown spotted rock-fish, about the size of a haddock, so tame, that instead of swimming away, it would remain fixed and gaze at us.  Had we been in absolute want, a sufficient supply might have been had; for thousands of the clams, already mentioned, stuck upon the reef, some of which weighed two or three pounds.  There were, besides, some other sorts of shell-fish, particularly the large periwinkle.  When the tide flowed several sharks came in over the reef, some of which our people killed, but they rendered it rather dangerous to walk in the water at that time.

The party who were left on shore with Mr Williamson, were a good deal pestered (as Mr Gore’s had been) with musquitoes in the night.  Some of them, in their excursions, shot two curlews, exactly like those of England, and saw some plovers, or sand-pipers, upon the shore; but in the wood no other bird, besides one or two of the cuckoos that were seen at Wenooa-ette.

Upon the whole, we did not spend our time unprofitably at this last islet, for we got there about twelve hundred cocoa-nuts, which were equally divided amongst the whole crew, and were, doubtless, of great use to them, both on account of the juice and of the kernel.  A ship, therefore, passing this way, if the weather be moderate, may expect to succeed as we did.  But there is no water upon either of the islets where we landed.  Were that article to be had, and a passage could be got into the lake, as we may call it, surrounded by the reef, where a ship could anchor, I should prefer this to any of the inhabited islands, if the only want were refreshment.  For the quantity of fish that might be procured would be sufficient, and the people might roam about unmolested by the petulance of any inhabitants.