n noticed on the sand when we landed in the morning, gave
evident proofs that they were not far off. On the beach were the remains
of several huts; but they did not appear to have been recently occupied:
in order however to avoid surprise or loss, the stores and provisions
that had been landed in the evening were placed at a distance from the
grass and trees and covered over with a sail: near this pile our
four-pounder was planted, loaded with musket balls, ready to be fired at
a moment's warning.

Having thus taken all possible precaution our people returned on board to
pass the night. My anxiety however prevented my retiring to bed so early
and I continued watching our property in the momentary expectation of
something occurring. The moon was fortunately at her full and shone
sufficiently bright to enable me to distinguish any moving object near
the tent. At eight o'clock a light was suddenly observed on the summit of
the hill that rises over the beach; but after being stationary for ten
minutes it disappeared: at first it was thought to be a native's fire;
and afterwards it was suspected to be occasioned by an insect. At
midnight, as the light had not again been seen, I retired to rest,
leaving a watch on the deck to give alarm should anything occur; but in
less than an hour was disturbed by the cry, "The tent's on fire!" On
reaching the deck I found the alarm had not been made without reason, for
a flame was actually blazing close to them.

At the first appearance of the flames two muskets were fired in the
direction of them and our people were immediately landed. On reaching the
tent everything was secure and quiet but the fire was still burning at
about twenty yards behind it. Having cautiously approached it we found
our fears had been groundless and that they were occasioned by no less
innocent an enemy than a half-consumed log of wood, in the heart of which
a fire had been lying dormant for some days, having been lighted by the
fires which had lately passed over the country; it had been fanned into a
flame by the land-breeze which sprung up at midnight. The light seen in
the early part of the night originated, most likely, from a similar
cause; so that we returned to the vessel without further apprehension.

September 22.

The following day all our wet and dry provisions, our wood and guns were
landed; and the greater number of the crew slept on shore.

A discovery of great importance was this day made which