e drifted up by the wind. The only animals we saw were
kangaroo-rats, one pigeon, one small land- and many seabirds, a few
lizards, mosquitoes, ants, crabs, oysters and turtle.

BURY THE STORES. INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER.

February 26.

Early this morning we had finished burying our stores. The wind had
freshened considerably about daylight, and throughout the day it blew
nearly a gale from the south-east; it now looked so foul that I feared a
long period of bad weather was about to commence. My own party, as well
as the crews of the boats which came off from the whaler, had during the
hurry and confusion incident on landing made very free with our supply of
water, and as, from the appearance of the island, I felt very doubtful
whether we should find any more, I put all hands on an allowance of two
pints and a half a day, and then employed the men thus: one party under
the direction of Mr. Walker worked at constructing a still, by means of
which we might obtain fresh water from salt; another made various
attempts to sink a well; whilst the native, another man, and myself
traversed the island in search of a supply from the surface.

At night the result of our efforts were recounted, when it appeared that
Mr. Walker had, by an ingenious contrivance, managed to have such a still
constructed that we might hope, by means of it, if kept constantly
working, to obtain just water enough to keep us alive. The party who had
tried to sink a well had invariably been stopped by hard limestone rock
in every place they had tried, and all their attempts to penetrate it by
means of a cold chisel and pickaxe had proved abortive. The party which
had been out with me searching for water had not seen the slightest sign
which indicated its presence on the island: we had taken a spade with us,
but wherever we dug had come down upon the solid rock. Under these
circumstances I reduced the allowance to two pints a day.

February 27.

This morning it still blew nearly a gale of wind from the south-east. The
men were occupied in the same manner as yesterday; but towards noon the
wind moderated a little, and as we could find no water I resolved to make
an effort to creep along shore to the southward.

LOSS OF A BOAT IN REEMBARKING.

My boat was soon launched in safety, but the Paul Pry, Mr. Walker's boat,
was not so fortunate; the water in the bay deepened rapidly from the
steepness of the bank, and the steersman, who was keeping her bow