May.  Friday 1.

At dawn of day the party set out again in a different route to see what they could find, in the course of which they suffered greatly for want of water:  they however met with two men, a woman, and a child:  the men came with them to the cove and brought two coconut shells of water.  I endeavoured to make friends of these people and sent them away for breadfruit, plantains, and water.  Soon after other natives came to us; and by noon there were thirty about us, from whom we obtained a small supply; but I could only afford one ounce of pork and a quarter of a breadfruit to each man for dinner, with half a pint of water, for I was fixed in my resolution not to use any of the bread or water in the boat.

No particular chief was yet among the natives:  they were notwithstanding tractable, and behaved honestly, exchanging the provisions they brought for a few buttons and beads.  The party who had been out informed me of their having seen several neat plantations, so that it remained no longer a doubt of there being settled inhabitants on the island, for which reason I determined to get what I could, and to sail the first moment that the wind and weather would allow us to put to sea.

I was much puzzled in what manner to account to the natives for the loss of my ship:  I knew they had too much sense to be amused with a story that the ship was to join me, when she was not in sight from the hills.  I was at first doubtful whether I should tell the real fact or say that the ship had overset and sunk, and that we only were saved:  the latter appeared to be the most proper and advantageous for us, and I accordingly instructed my people, that we might all agree in one story.  As I expected enquiries were made about the ship, and they seemed readily satisfied with our account; but there did not appear the least symptom of joy or sorrow in their faces, although I fancied I discovered some marks of surprise.  Some of the natives were coming and going the whole afternoon, and we got enough of breadfruit, plantains, and coconuts for another day; but of water they only brought us about five pints.  A canoe also came in with four men and brought a few coconuts and breadfruit which I bought as I had done the rest.  Nails were much enquired after, but I would not suffer any to be shown as they were wanted for the use of the boat.

Towards evening I had the satisfaction to find our stock of provisions somewhat increased, but the natives did not appear to have much to spare.  What they brought was in such small quantities that I had no reason to hope we should be able to procure from them sufficient to stock us for our voyage.  At sunset all the natives left us in quiet possession of the cove.  I thought this a good sign, and made no doubt that they would come again the next day with a better supply of food and water, with which I hoped to sail without farther delay:  for if in attempting to get to Tongataboo we should be driven to leeward of the islands there would be a larger quantity of provisions to support us against such a misfortune.