ward, and in three days discovered
another small island. It was apparently well wooded, although not large.
We hove to, to windward of it, and not perceiving any inhabitants, I
lowered down a boat, and sent the first mate on shore to reconnoitre. He
returned in an hour, informing me that the island was covered with
cocoa-nut trees in full bearing, and that he had seen several wild pigs,
but no symptoms of its being inhabited--that there was no anchorage that
he could discover, as the shore rose perpendicularly, like a wall, from
the ocean. We therefore ran to leeward, and discovered that a reef of
coral rocks extended nearly two miles from that side of the island. The
boats were again lowered, and after surveying, the mate reported that
there was a passage, with plenty of water, for the ship, through the
very centre of the reef, which would bring her into a small bay, where
she might lay in perfect security. Before night we had gained the
anchorage, and furled sails. The next morning I went on shore to
reconnoitre; we found some springs of fresh water, cocoa-nuts and other
trees in abundance, and occasionally fell in with herds of wild pigs,
which appeared, with the exception of birds, to be the only animals
that existed upon the island. Satisfied that I now had an opportunity of
revictualling my ship, I unbent my sails, struck my topmasts, unrove my
running rigging, and, in short, made every preparation for a long stay.
I then sent parties on shore to erect tents, and shoot the wild pigs,
while I superintended the fixing of coppers on the beach to boil the
salt out of the sea water, which would be necessary for curing the
provisions. I also dug shallow pans in the rock, close to the water's
edge, that I might gain as much salt as possible by means of
evaporation. Every thing was prepared in the course of the day, and the
major part of my ship's company were landed, and slept in the tents. In
three days we had salted down several casks of pork, and had collected a
large quantity of cocoa-nuts.

On the fourth morning I heard a dispute among the men, some of them
swearing that they would not remain, and that the ship ought to go to
sea immediately. Astonished at these remarks, after they had expressed
themselves so well pleased, I inquired the reason. They answered, that
there was magic in the island, and on my requiring an explanation, they
took me to the salt pans, which, upon our arrival, had been cut in the
rocks with