ng new ones.
These occupations, with cleansing and watering our ship, now pretty
well completed, together with attending our sick, and the frequent
relief sent to the Gloucester, were the principal transactions of our
infirm crew, till the arrival of the Gloucester at anchor in the bay.

Captain Mitchell immediately waited on the commodore, whom he
informed, that, in his last absence, he had been forced as far as
the small island of _Masefuero_, nearly in the same latitude with the
larger island of Juan Fernandez, and thirty leagues farther W. That he
had endeavoured to send his boat on shore there for water, of which he
observed several streams; but the wind blew so strong upon the shore,
and caused so great a surf, that it was impossible to get to land.
The attempt, however, was not entirely useless, as the boat came
back loaded with fish. This island had been represented, by former
navigators, as a mere barren rock, but Captain Mitchell assured the
commodore, that it was almost every where covered with trees and
verdure, and was nearly four miles in length. He believed also,
that some small bay might possibly be found in it which might afford
sufficient shelter to any ship desirous of procuring refreshments.

As four ships of our squadron were still missing, this description of
Masefuero gave rise to a conjecture, that some of them might possibly
have fallen in with that island, mistaking it for the true place of
rendezvous. This suspicion was the more reasonable, that we had no
draught of either island that could be relied upon; wherefore the
commodore resolved to send the Tryal sloop thither, as soon as she
could be made ready for sea, in order to examine all its creeks and
bays, that it might be ascertained whether any of our missing ships
were there or not. For this purpose, some of our best hands were sent
on board the Tryal next morning, to overhaul and fix her rigging,
and our long-boat was employed to complete her water; what stores and
necessaries she wanted, being immediately supplied from the Centurion
and Gloucester. It was the 4th of August before the Tryal was in
readiness to sail. When, having weighed, it soon after fell calm,
and the tide set her very near the eastern shore of the bay. Captain
Saunders immediately hung out lights, and fired several guns, to
apprise us of his danger; upon which all the boats were sent to his
aid, which towed the sloop into the bay, where she anchored till next
mornin