Tuesday, 5th.—­The night having been fair, we awoke after a tolerable rest, and contentedly breakfasted on a few pieces of yams that were found in the boat.  After breakfast we examined our bread, a great deal of which was damaged and rotten; this, nevertheless, we were glad to keep for use.  We passed two islands in the course of the day.  For dinner I served some of the damaged bread, and a quarter of a pint of water.

Wednesday, 6th.—­We still kept our course in the direction of the North of New Holland, passing numerous islands of various sizes, at none of which I ventured to land.  Our allowance for the day was a quarter of a pint of cocoanut milk, and the meat, which did not exceed two ounces to each person.  It was received very contentedly, but we suffered great drought.  To our great joy we hooked a fish, but we were miserably disappointed by its being lost in trying to get it into the boat.

As our lodgings were very miserable, and confined for want of room, I endeavored to remedy the latter defect by putting ourselves at watch and watch; so that one-half always sat up while the other lay down on the boat’s bottom, or upon a chest, with nothing to cover us but the heavens.  Our limbs were dreadfully cramped, for we could not stretch them out; and the nights were so cold, and we so constantly wet, that after a few hours’ sleep, we could scarcely move.

Thursday, 7th.—­Being very wet and cold, I served a spoonful of rum and a morsel of bread for breakfast.  We still kept sailing among the islands, from one of which two large canoes put out in chase of us; but we left them behind.  Whether these canoes had any hostile intention against us must remain a doubt:  perhaps we might have benefited by an intercourse with them; but, in our defenceless situation, to have made the experiment would have been risking too much.

I imagine these to be the islands called Feejee, as their extent, direction, and distance from the Friendly Islands answer to the description given of them by those islanders.  Heavy rain came on at four o’clock, when every person did their utmost to catch some water, and we increased our stock to thirty-four gallons, besides quenching our thirst for the first time since we had been at sea; but an attendant consequence made us pass the night very miserably, for, being extremely wet, and having no dry things to shift or cover us, we experienced cold shiverings scarcely to be conceived.  Most fortunately for us, the forenoon, Friday 8th, turned out fair, and we stripped and dried our clothes.  The allowance I issued to-day was an ounce and a half of pork, a teaspoonful of rum, half a pint of cocoanut milk, and an ounce of bread.  The rum, though so small in quantity, was of the greatest service.  A fishing-line was generally towing from the stern of the boat, but though we saw great numbers of fish, we could never catch one.