, were exceedingly
abundant in this bay. The Discovery's people surrounded at one time so
great a quantity in their seine, that they were obliged to throw a vast
number out, lest the net should be broken to pieces; and the cargo they
landed was afterward so plentiful, that besides a sufficient store for
immediate use, they filled as many casks as they could spare for salting;
and after sending to the Resolution a sufficient quantity for the same
purpose, they left several bushels behind on the beach.

The snow now began to disappear very rapidly, and abundance of wild garlic,
celery, and nettle-tops, were gathered for the use of the crews; which
being boiled with wheat and portable soup, made them a wholesome and
comfortable breakfast; and with this they were supplied every morning. The
birch-trees were also tapped, and the sweet juice, which they yielded in
great quantities, was constantly mixed with the men's allowance of brandy.

The next day a small bullock, which had been procured for the ship's
company by the serjeant, was killed; and weighed two hundred and seventy-
two pounds. It was served out to both crews for their Sunday's dinner,
being the first piece of fresh beef they had tasted since our departure
from the Cape of Good Hope, in December 1776, a period of near two years
and a half.

This evening died John Macintosh, the carpenter's mate, after having
laboured under a dysentery ever since our departure from the Sandwich
islands; he was a very hard working quiet man, and much regretted by his
messmates. He was the fourth person we lost by sickness during the voyage;
but the first who could be said, from his age and the constitutional habits
of his body, to have had on our setting out an equal chance with the rest
of his comrades; Watman, we supposed to be about sixty years of age, and
Roberts and Mr Anderson, from the decay which had evidently commenced
before we left England, could not, in all probability, under any
circumstances, have lived a greater length of time than they did.

I have already mentioned, that Captain Clerke's health continued daily to
decline, notwithstanding the salutary change of diet which the country of
Kamtschatka afforded him. The priest of Paratounca, as soon as he heard of
the infirm state he was in, supplied him every day with bread, milk, fresh
butter, and fowls, though his house was sixteen miles from the harbour
where we lay.

On our first arrival, we found the Russian h