that were under size.  However, we could seldom get any above fifty or sixty pounds weight.  It was happy for us, that we had still some vegetables on board, for we now received few such productions.  Indeed this part of the country, from its appearance, did not seem capable of affording them.  Marks of its having been laid waste by the explosion of a volcano, every where presented themselves; and though we had as yet seen nothing like one upon the island, the devastation that it had made in this neighbourhood, was visible to the naked eye.

This part of the coast is sheltered from the reigning winds, but we could find no bottom to anchor upon, a line of an hundred and sixty fathoms not reaching it, within the distance of half a mile from the shore.  The islanders having all left us, toward the evening, we ran a few miles down the coast, and then spent the night standing off and on.

The next morning, the natives visited us again, bringing with them the same articles of commerce as before.  Being now near the shore, I sent Mr Bligh, the master, in a boat to sound the coast, with orders to land, and to look for fresh water.  Upon his return, he reported, that, at two cables’ lengths from the shore, he had found no soundings with a line of one hundred and sixty fathoms; that, when he landed, he found no stream or spring, but only rain-water, deposited in holes upon the rocks, and even that was brackish from the spray of the sea, and that the surface of the country was entirely composed of slags and ashes, with a few plants interspersed.  Between ten and eleven we saw with pleasure the Discovery coming round the south point of the island, and at one in the afternoon she joined us.  Captain Clerke then coming on board, informed me, that he had cruised four or five days where we were separated, and then plied round the east side of the island, but that, meeting with unfavourable winds, he had been carried to some distance from the coast.  He had one of the islanders on board all this time, who had remained there from choice, and had refused to quit the ship, though opportunities had offered.

Having spent the night standing off and on, we stood in again the next morning, and when we were about a league from the shore, many of the natives visited us.  At noon, the observed latitude was 19 deg. 1’, and the longitude, by the time-keeper, was 203 deg. 26’, the island extending from S. 74 deg.  E. to N. 13 deg.  W., the nearest part two leagues distant.

At day-break on the 8th, we found that the currents, during the night, which we spent in plying, had carried us back considerably to windward; so that we were now off the S.W. point of the island.  There we brought-to, in order to give the natives an opportunity of trading with us.  At noon our observed latitude was 19 deg. 1’, and our longitude, by the time-keeper, was 203 deg. 13’, the S.W. point of the island N. 30 deg.  E., two miles distant.

We spent the night as usual, standing off and on.  It happened, that four men and ten women who had come on board the preceding day, still remained with us.  As I did not like the company of the latter, I stood in shore towards noon, principally with a view to get them out of the ship; and some canoes coming off, I took that opportunity of sending away our guests.