w to stay 2 or 3 days to try to Kill some of the Animals we have seen
about this place.

Saturday, 7th. Fresh breezes at South-East and fair weather. Employ'd
getting on board Coals, Ballast, etc., and caulking the Ship; a work that
could not be done while she lay aground. The Armourer and his Mate are
Still employ'd at the Forge making and repairing sundry Articles in the
Iron way.

Sunday, 8th. Gentle breeze and South-East, and clear weather. Early I
sent the Master in a Boat out to Sea to sound again about the Shoals,
because the account he had given of the Channell before mentioned was to
me by no means Satisfactory; likewise sent some hands to haul the Sean,
who caught near 80 pounds of fish; the rest of the people I gave leave to
go into the Country.

Monday, 9th. In the Day Ditto Winds, but in the night Calm. P.M., Mr.
Gore and Mr. Banks return'd, having met with nothing remarkable; they
were about 3 or 4 Leagues up in the Country without finding hardly any
Variation either in the Soil or Produce. In the Evening the Master
return'd, having been several Leagues out at Sea, and at that Distance
off saw Shoals without him, and was of opinion there was no getting out
to Sea that way. In his return he touched upon one of the Shoals, the
same as he was upon the first time he was out; he here saw a great number
of Turtle, 3 of which he Caught weighing 791 pounds. This occasion'd my
sending him out again this morning provided with proper gear for Striking
them, he having before nothing but a Boat Hook. Carpenters, Smiths, and
Coopers at their respective Employments, and the Seamen employed getting
on board stones, ballast, etc. This day all hands feasted upon Turtle for
the First time.* (* As they had had nothing fresh but a little fish for
four months, and scarcely any meat since they left the Society Islands,
eleven months before, we can imagine that this was a feast.)

Tuesday, 10th. Winds and weather as yesterday. Employ'd hoisting on board
and stowing away the ground Tier of Water. P.M., saw 7 or 8 of the
Natives on the South side of the River, and 2 of them came down upon the
Sandy point opposite the Ship; but as soon as I put off in a Boat in
order to speak with them they run away as fast as they could. At 11 Mr.
Banks, who had gone out to Sea with Mr. Molineux, the Master, return'd in
his own Small Boat, and gave but a Very bad account of our
Turtlecatchers. At the time he left them, which was about 6 o'Clock,