clothes
were kept perfectly clean; the hammocks were constantly brought upon the
deck at eight o'clock in the morning, and carried down at four in the
afternoon. Some of the beds and hammocks were washed every day; the
water was rendered wholesome by ventilation, and every part between
decks frequently washed with vinegar.

On Sunday the 31st of May, our longitude, by observation, was 127 deg.45'W.
our latitude 29 deg.38'S. and the variation, by azimuth and amplitude,
5 deg.9'E.

The next day, at three in the afternoon, our longitude, by observation,
was 129 deg.15'W. and our latitude 19 deg.34'S. We had squally weather, with
much lightning and rain, and saw several man-of-war birds.

On the 3d we saw several gannets, which, with the uncertainty of the
weather, inclined us to hope that land was not very far distant. The
next day a turtle swam close by the ship; on the 5th we saw many birds,
which confirmed our hope that some place of refreshment was near, and at
eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 6th, Jonathan Puller, a seaman,
called out from the mast-head, "Land in the W.N.W." At noon it was seen
plainly from the deck, and found to be a low island, at about five or
six leagues distance. The joy which everyone on board felt at this
discovery, can be conceived by those only who have experienced the
danger, sickness, and fatigue of such a voyage as we had performed.

When we were within about five miles of this island, we saw another,
bearing N.W. by W. About three o'clock in the afternoon, being very near
the island that was first discovered, we brought-to, and I sent Mr
Furneaux, my second lieutenant, my first lieutenant being very ill, with
the boats manned and armed, to the shore. As he approached it, we saw
two canoes put off, and paddle away with great expedition towards the
island that lay to leeward. At seven in the evening the boats returned,
and brought with them several cocoa-nuts, and a considerable quantity of
scurvy-grass; they brought also some fishhooks, that were made of
oyster-shells, and some of the shells of which they were made. They
reported that they had seen none of the inhabitants, but had visited
three huts, or rather sheds, consisting only of a roof, neatly thatched
with cocoa-nut and palm-leaves, supported upon posts, and open all
round. They saw also several canoes building, but found no fresh water,
nor any fruit but cocoa-nuts. They sounded, but found no anchorage, and
it was with gr