he course of the night and was
lost. This, if it had happened at sea, might have been attended with the
most serious consequences, as the management of the boat could not have
been so nicely preserved as these very heavy seas required. I had been
apprehensive of this accident, and had in some measure prepared for it,
by having grummets fixed on each quarter of the boat for oars; but our
utmost readiness in using them would not probably have saved us. It
appears therefore a providential circumstance that it happened in a place
of safety, and that it was in our power to remedy the defect; for by
great good luck we found a large staple in the boat, which answered the
purpose.

The parties returned, highly rejoiced at having found plenty of oysters
and fresh water. I had also made a fire by the help of a small magnifying
glass and, what was still more fortunate, we found among the few things
which had been thrown into the boat and saved a piece of brimstone and a
tinderbox, so that I secured fire for the future.

One of the people had been so provident as to bring away with him from
the ship a copper pot: by being in possession of this article we were
enabled to make a proper use of the supply we now obtained for, with a
mixture of bread and a little pork, we made a stew that might have been
relished by people of far more delicate appetites, and of which each
person received a full pint.

The general complaints of disease among us were a dizziness in the head,
great weakness of the joints, and violent tenesmus, most of us having had
no evacuation by stool since we left the ship. I had constantly a severe
pain at my stomach but none of our complaints were alarming: on the
contrary, everyone retained marks of strength that, with a mind possessed
of a tolerable share of fortitude, seemed able to bear more fatigue than
I imagined we should have to undergo in our voyage to Timor.

As I would not allow the people to expose themselves to the heat of the
sun, it being near noon, everyone took his allotment of earth where it
was shaded by the bushes for a short sleep.

The oysters which we found grew so fast to the rocks that it was with
difficulty they could be broken off, and at length we discovered it to be
the most expeditious way to open them where they were fixed. They were of
a good size, and well tasted. To add to this happy circumstance in the
hollow of the land there grew some wire-grass, which indicated a moist
situa