nting, we made a good supper, compared with our usual fare.

Tuesday 26.

Fresh breezes from the south-east with fine weather. In the morning we
caught another booby so that Providence appeared to be relieving our
wants in an extraordinary manner. Towards noon we passed a great many
pieces of the branches of trees, some of which appeared to have been no
long time in the water. I had a good observation for the latitude, and
found our situation to be in 13 degrees 41 minutes south; longitude by
account from Tofoa 37 degrees 13 minutes west; course south 85 degrees
west, 112 miles. The people were overjoyed at the addition to their
dinner which was distributed in the same manner as on the preceding
evening, giving the blood to those who were the most in want of food.

To make the bread a little savoury most of the people frequently dipped
it in salt water; but I generally broke mine into small pieces and ate it
in my allowance of water, out of a coconut shell with a spoon,
economically avoiding to take too large a piece at a time, so that I was
as long at dinner as if it had been a much more plentiful meal.

The weather was now serene, which nevertheless was not without its
inconveniences, for we began to feel distress of a different kind from
that which we had lately been accustomed to suffer. The heat of the sun
was so powerful that several of the people were seized with a languor and
faintness which made life indifferent. We were so fortunate as to catch
two boobies in the evening: their stomachs contained several flying-fish
and small cuttlefish, all of which I saved to be divided for dinner the
next day.

Wednesday 27.

A fresh breeze at east-south-east with fair weather. We passed much
driftwood this forenoon and saw many birds; I therefore did not hesitate
to pronounce that we were near the reefs of New Holland. From my
recollection of Captain Cook's survey of this coast I considered the
direction of it to be north-west, and I was therefore satisfied that,
with the wind to the southward of east, I could always clear any dangers.

At noon I observed in latitude 13 degrees 26 minutes south; course since
yesterday north 82 degrees west, distance 109 miles; longitude made 39
degrees 4 minutes. After writing my account I divided the two birds with
their entrails and the contents of their maws into 18 portions and, as
the prize was a very valuable one it was divided as before, by calling
out Who shall have this? so