ery harmless objects--such
as the schooner's sails, an egg, an open book, or a pan of flour. We
endeavoured to ascertain if they had among them any articles which might
be turned to account in the way of traffic, but found great difficulty
in being comprehended. We made out, nevertheless, what greatly
astonished us, that the islands abounded in the large tortoise of the
Gallipagos, one of which we saw in the canoe of Too-wit. We saw also
some biche de mer in the hands of one of the savages, who was greedily
devouring it in its natural state. These anomalies--for they were such
when considered in regard to the latitude--induced Captain Guy to wish
for a thorough investigation of the country, in the hope of making a
profitable speculation in his discovery. For my own part, anxious as I
was to know something more of these islands, I was still more earnestly
bent on prosecuting the voyage to the southward without delay. We had
now fine weather, but there was no telling how long it would last; and
being already in the eighty-fourth parallel, with an open sea before us,
a current setting strongly to the southward, and the wind fair, I could
not listen with any patience to a proposition of stopping longer than
was absolutely necessary for the health of the crew and the taking on
board a proper supply of fuel and fresh provisions. I represented to the
captain that we might easily make this group on our return, and winter
here in the event of being blocked up by the ice. He at length came into
my views (for in some way, hardly known to myself, I had acquired much
influence over him), and it was finally resolved that, even in the event
of our finding biche de mer, we should only stay here a week to recruit,
and then push on to the southward while we might. Accordingly we made
every necessary preparation, and, under the guidance of Too-wit, got the
Jane through the reef in safety, coming to anchor about a mile from the
shore, in an excellent bay, completely landlocked, on the southeastern
coast of the main island, and in ten fathoms of water, black sandy
bottom. At the head of this bay there were three fine springs (we were
told) of good water, and we saw abundance of wood in the vicinity. The
four canoes followed us in, keeping, however, at a respectful distance.
Too-wit himself remained on board, and, upon our dropping anchor,
invited us to accompany him on shore, and visit his village in the
interior. To this Captain Guy consente