e, as it is less liable to decay, and
stows in much less room, which is a very valuable consideration in long
voyages.

Cocoa we found great benefit from; it is much relished by the men, stows
in little room, and affords great nourishment. At the close of the war in
1783, in the West Indies, men that had been the whole war on salt
provisions, from a liberal use of the cocoa, got fat and strong, and in
the _Agamemnon_ we had five hundred men who had served most of the war on
salt provisions; but after the cocoa was introduced, we had not a sick
man on board till the day she was paid off. Indeed it is the only article
of nourishment in sea victualling; for what can in reason be expected
from beef or pork after it has been salted a year or two?

Wheat we found answer extremely well, rough ground in a mill occasionally
as we wanted it, and with the addition of a little brown sugar, it made a
pleasant nourishing diet, of which the men were extremely fond. Another
great advantage attending it, that it does not require half the quantity
of water that pease do.

Soft bread was found extremely beneficial to the sick and convalescent,
and we availed ourselves of every opportunity of baking for half the
complement at a time. As the flour keeps so much longer sound than
biscuit, it may be needless to remark its superior advantages; besides,
it is not liable to be damaged by water or otherwise, so much as bread,
as a crust forms outside, which protects the rest. In point of stowage it
likewise is preferable.

As the fate of every expedition of this kind depends much on the exertion
of the subordinate departments of office, the thanks of every individual
in the _Pandora_ is due to Mr. Cherry, for his uncommon attention to the
victualling.

The dividing the people into three watches had a double good effect as it
gave them longer time to sleep, and dry themselves before they turned in;
and as most of our crew consisted of landsmen, the fewer people being on
deck at a time, rendered it necessary to exert themselves more in
learning their duty.

The air became now temperate, mild, and agreeable; but unfortunately we
sprung a leak in the after part of the ship, which reached the bread
room, and damaged much of it, as one thousand five hundred and fifteen
pounds were thrown over-board, and a great deal much injured, that we
kept for feeding the cattle. Many blue Peterals were seen flying about,
and on the 4th of March saw Easter Is