his gracious support, I found my mind more at
ease than it had been for some time past.

Sunday 3.

At daybreak the gale increased; the sun rose very fiery and red, a sure
indication of a severe gale of wind. At eight it blew a violent storm and
the sea ran very high, so that between the seas the sail was becalmed,
and when on the top of the sea it was too much to have set: but we could
not venture to take in the sail for we were in very imminent danger and
distress, the sea curling over the stern of the boat, which obliged us to
bale with all our might. A situation more distressing has perhaps seldom
been experienced.

Our bread was in bags and in danger of being spoiled by the wet: to be
starved to death was inevitable if this could not be prevented: I
therefore began to examine what clothes there were in the boat and what
other things could be spared and, having determined that only two suits
should be kept for each person, the rest was thrown overboard with some
rope and spare sails, which lightened the boat considerably, and we had
more room to bale the water out. Fortunately the carpenter had a good
chest in the boat, in which we secured the bread the first favourable
moment. His tool chest also was cleared and the tools stowed in the
bottom of the boat so that this became a second convenience.

I served a teaspoonful of rum to each person (for we were very wet and
cold) with a quarter of a breadfruit, which was scarce eatable, for
dinner: our engagement was now strictly to be carried into execution, and
I was fully determined to make our provisions last eight weeks, let the
daily proportion be ever so small.

At noon I considered our course and distance from Tofoa to be
west-north-west three-quarters west 86 miles, latitude 19 degrees 27
minutes south. I directed the course to the west-north-west that we might
get a sight of the islands called Feejee if they laid in the direction
the natives had pointed out to me.

The weather continued very severe, the wind veering from north-east to
east-south-east. The sea ran higher than in the forenoon, and the fatigue
of baling to keep the boat from filling was exceedingly great. We could
do nothing more than keep before the sea, in the course of which the boat
performed so well that I no longer dreaded any danger in that respect.
But, among the hardships we were to undergo, that of being constantly wet
was not the least.

Monday 4.

The night was very cold and at