gaining ground daily) but they were greatly disappointed;
both the north and south sides are surrounded by rocks,
over which the water flows, without the least opening
for a boat; however, Capt. Sever ordered the
small boat to be hoisted out, and went on shore accompanied
by Mr. Anstis: they found great difficulty in
landing, and, when upon the rocks, they had to mount
a very dangerous precipice, in order to gain the level
part of the island. This island forms very high
at the west end, and slopes gradually to the east end,
where it terminates in a cliff of a moderate height:
both sides have a range of these cliffs extending
the whole length, which are chiefly composed of white
sand. The whole of the island bears the strongest
marks of being a volcanic production, having great
quantities of pumice stone on it, and the rocks quite
burnt up. The top of the land was covered with
a coarse kind of grass, and the place affords great
plenty of the wild mangrove. The extent of this
island is about two miles and an half, nearly in the
direction of east-south-east and west-north-west; the
soil a mixture of mould and sand. The inhabitants
are the brown gull, the light-grey bird, ganets, and
a parroquet of the same species with those met with
at Lord Howe’s Island. The gentlemen could
scarcely walk a step without being up to the knee
in holes: they saw a great number of rats and
mice, and found many birds lying dead at the entrances
of their burrows: they saw no appearance of fresh
water, though from the gullies that were formed in
various parts, the island must certainly be subject
to very heavy rains. This island was named Macaulay’s
Island, after G. M. Macaulay, Esq; and the two islands
to the southward, Curtis’s Isles, after Timothy
and William Curtis, Esqrs. At five in the afternoon,
the Captain returning on board, the boat was hoisted
in, and they made sail, standing to the eastward with
a moderate breeze at south-west. Macaulay’s
Island is situated in 30 deg.. 09’. south latitude,
and 180 deg.. 58’. 37’’. east longitude.
6 June 1788-10 July 1788
The scurvy now began to spread very fast among the
crew, and by the 6th, they had nine men unable to
get out of their hammocks, and many others complained
very much: swelled gums, the flesh exceeding black
and hard, a contraction of the sinews, with a total
debility; were the general appearances. Wine
was daily served out to them, and there was sour-krout
on on board, but the people refused to eat it.
From this to the 17th they had little variety; by
that time the people were in a deplorable state, for
with every person on board, the Captain included, they
could only muster ten men able to do duty, and some
of them were in a very weakly state: sour-krout,
which before had been refused, now began to be sought
after, and they had all the Captain’s fresh stock,
himself and officers living solely on salt provisions;
and to add to their melancholy situation the wind
hung almost constantly in the eastern board, so that