eastward than its place in the French chart which has been just mentioned.  In the afternoon I sent the cutter to examine the coast, and the other boat to get some cocoa-nuts, and haul the seine.  The people in this boat caught no fish, but they brought on board about an hundred and fifty cocoa-nuts, which were distributed to the men at the surgeon’s discretion.  We had seen some turtle as we were coming into the bay, and hoping that some of them might repair to the island in the night, especially as it was sandy, barren, and uninhabited, like the places these animals most frequent, I sent a few men on shore to watch for them, but they returned in the morning without success.

We anchored here only to wait till the boats could find a fit place for our purpose; and several very good harbours being discovered not far distant, we now endeavoured to weigh anchor, but, with the united strength of our whole company, were not able:  This was an alarming proof of our debility, and with heavy hearts we had recourse to an additional purchase; with this assistance, and our utmost efforts, we got the anchor just clear of the bottom, but the ship casting in shore, it almost immediately hooked again in foul ground.  Our task was now to begin again; and though all hands that were able to move applied their utmost force, the whole remaining part of the day, with the greatest purchase we could make, we were not able to stir it:  We were very unwilling to cut the cable, for though it was much worn, we could at this time ill sustain the loss of it, as we intended to make small cord, which we much, wanted, of the best part of it.  We therefore, with whatever reluctance, desisted for the night; and the next day, having a little recruited our strength, we were more successful.  We got the anchor up; but we found it so much injured as to be wholly unserviceable, the palm being broken.

From this place we sailed to a little cove about three of four miles distant, to which we gave the name of English Cove.  Here we anchored, and immediately began to get wood and water, which we found in great plenty, besides ballast.  I also sent the boat out every day to different places with the seine; but though there was plenty of fish, we were able to catch very little,—­a misfortune which was probably owing in part to the clearness of the water, in part to the rockiness of the beach, and perhaps in some degree also to our want of skill.  We plied this labour day and night, notwithstanding the want of success, and at the same time had recourse to the hook and line, but, to our great mortification, not a single fish would take the bait.  We saw a few turtle, but they were so shy that we could not catch one of them:  Here, therefore, we were condemned to the curse of Tantalus, perpetually in sight of what our appetites most importunately craved, and perpetually disappointed in our attempts to reach it.  We got, however, from the rocks, at low water, a few rock-oysters, and cockles of a very large size; and