rmer station where, after
issuing a morsel of bread and a spoonful of rum to each person, we
landed, and I went off with Mr. Nelson, Mr. Samuel, and some others, into
the country, having hauled ourselves up the precipice by long vines which
were fixed there by the natives for that purpose, this being the only way
into the country.

We found a few deserted huts and a small plantain walk but little taken
care of, from which we could only collect three small bunches of
plantains. After passing this place we came to a deep gully that led
towards a mountain near a volcano and, as I conceived that in the rainy
season very great torrents of water must pass through it, we hoped to
find sufficient for our use remaining in some holes of the rocks; but
after all our search the whole that we collected was only nine gallons.
We advanced within two miles of the foot of the highest mountain in the
island, on which is the volcano that is almost constantly burning. The
country near it is covered with lava and has a most dreary appearance. As
we had not been fortunate in our discoveries, and saw nothing to
alleviate our distresses except the plantains and water above-mentioned,
we returned to the boat exceedingly fatigued and faint. When I came to
the precipice whence we were to descend into the cove I was seized with
such a dizziness in my head that I thought it scarce possible to effect
it: however by the assistance of Nelson and others they at last got me
down, in a weak condition. Every person being returned by noon I gave
about an ounce of pork and two plantains to each, with half a glass of
wine. I again observed the latitude of this place 19 degrees 41 minutes
south. The people who remained by the boat I had directed to look for
fish or what they could pick up about the rocks; but nothing eatable
could be found: so that upon the whole we considered ourselves on as
miserable a spot of land as could well be imagined.

I could not say positively from the former knowledge I had of this island
whether it was inhabited or not; but I knew it was considered inferior to
the other islands, and I was not certain but that the Indians only
resorted to it at particular times. I was very anxious to ascertain this
point for, in case there had been only a few people here, and those could
have furnished us with but very moderate supplies, the remaining in this
spot to have made preparations for our voyage would have been preferable
to the risk of