n,
reported to me, that about a league and a half to the N., was a break
in the land, and a channel into the _lagoon_, consequently, that there
was a fit place for landing; and that he had found the same soundings
off this entrance, as we had where we now lay. In consequence of this
report the ships weighed anchor, and, after two or three trips, came
to again in twenty fathoms water, over a bottom of fine dark sand,
before a small island that lies at the entrance of the _lagoon_, and
on each side of which there is a channel leading into it, but only fit
for boats. The water in the _lagoon_ itself is all very shallow.

On the 26th, in the morning, I ordered Captain Clerke to send a
boat, with an officer, to the S.E. part of the _lagoon_, to look for
turtles; and Mr King and I went each in a boat to the N.E. part. I
intended to have gone to the most easterly extremity, but the wind
blew too fresh to allow it, and obliged us to land more to leeward, on
a sandy flat, where we caught one turtle, the only one that we saw
in the _lagoon_. We walked, or rather waded, through the water to
an island, where finding nothing but a few birds, I left it, and
proceeded to the land that bounds the sea to the N.W., leaving Mr King
to observe the sun's meridian altitude. I found this land to be even
more barren than the island I had been upon; but walking over to the
sea-coast, I saw five turtles close to the shore. One of these we
caught, and the rest made their escape. Not seeing any more I returned
on board, as did Mr King soon after, without having seen one turtle.
We, however, did not despair of getting a supply; for some of Captain
Clerke's officers, who had been ashore on the land to the southward
of the channel leading into the _lagoon_, had been more fortunate, and
caught several there.

In the morning of the 27th, the pinnace and cutter, under the command
of Mr King, were sent to the S.E. part of the island, within the
_lagoon_, and the small cutter to the northward, where I had been the
day before, both parties being ordered upon the same service, to catch
turtles. Captain Clerke having had some of his people on shore all
night, they had been so fortunate as to turn between forty and fifty
on the sand, which were brought on board with all expedition this day.
And, in the afternoon, the party I had sent northward returned with
six. They were sent back again, and remained there till we left the
island, having in general pretty