my
power. The situation was at least four leagues distant from the main. We
were on the north-westernmost of four small keys, which were surrounded
by a reef of rocks connected by sand-banks, except between the two
northernmost; and there likewise it was dry at low water; the whole
forming a lagoon island, into which the tide flowed: at this entrance I
kept the boat.

As usual, I sent parties away in search of supplies, but, to our great
disappointment, we could only get a few clams and some dolichos: with
these, and the oysters we had brought from Sunday Island, I made up a
mess for dinner, with an addition of a small quantity of bread.

[Sidenote: 1789. JUNE 1.]

Towards noon, Mr. Nelson, and his party, who had been to the easternmost
key, returned; but himself in such a weak condition, that he was obliged
to be supported by two men. His complaint was a violent heat in his
bowels, a loss of sight, much drought, and an inability to walk. This I
found was occasioned by his being unable to support the heat of the sun,
and that, when he was fatigued and faint, instead of retiring into the
shade to rest, he had continued to do more than his strength was equal
to. It was a great satisfaction to me to find, that he had no fever; and
it was now that the little wine, which I had so carefully saved became
of real use. I gave it in very small quantities, with some small pieces
of bread soaked in it; and, having pulled off his cloaths, and laid him
under some shady bushes, he began to recover. The boatswain and
carpenter also were ill, and complained of head-ach, and sickness of the
stomach; others, who had not had any evacuation by stool, became
shockingly distressed with the tenesmus; so that there were but few
without complaints. An idea now prevailed, that their illness was
occasioned by eating the dolichos, and some were so much alarmed that
they thought themselves poisoned. Myself, however, and some others, who
had eaten of them, were yet very well; but the truth was, that all those
who were complaining, except Mr. Nelson, had gorged themselves with a
large quantity of raw beans, and Mr. Nelson informed me, that they were
constantly teazing him, whenever a berry was found, to know if it was
good to eat; so that it would not have been surprizing if many of them
had been really poisoned.

Our dinner was not so well relished as at Sunday Island, because we had
mixed the dolichos with our stew. The oysters and soup, howeve