when he left the ship, brought his watch with him, by which
we had regulated our time till to-day, when unfortunately it stopped; so
that noon, sun-rise, and sun-set, are the only parts of the 24 hours of
which I can speak with certainty, as to time.

[Sidenote: Wednesday 3.]

Wednesday, June the 3d. Fresh gales S S E and S E, and fair weather. As
we stood to the N by W this afternoon, we found more sea, which I
attributed to our receiving less shelter from the reefs to the eastward:
it is probable they do not extend so far to the N as this; at least, it
may be concluded that there is not a continued barrier to prevent
shipping having access to the shore. I observed that the stream set to
the N W, which I considered to be the flood; in some places along the
coast, we saw patches of wood. At five o'clock, steering to the N W, we
passed a large and fair inlet, into which, I imagine, is a safe and
commodious entrance; it lies in latitude 11 deg. S: about three leagues to
the northward of this is an island, at which we arrived about sun-set,
and took shelter for the night under a sandy point, which was the only
part we could land at: I was therefore under the necessity to put up
with rather a wild situation, and slept in the boat. Nevertheless I sent
a party away to see what could be got, but they returned without any
success. They saw a great number of turtle bones and shells, where the
natives had been feasting, and their last visit seemed to be of late
date. The island was covered with wood, but in other respects a lump of
rocks. We lay at a grapnel until day-light, with a very fresh gale and
cloudy weather. The main bore from S E by S to N N W 1/2 W, three
leagues; and a mountainous island, with a flat top, N by W, four or five
leagues: several others were between it and the main. The spot we were
on, which I call Turtle Island; lies in latitude, by account, 10 deg. 52' S,
and 42 miles W from Restoration Island. Abreast of it the coast has the
appearance of a sandy desert, but improves about three leagues farther
to the northward, where it terminates in a point, near to which is a
number of small islands. I sailed between these islands, where I found
no bottom at twelve fathoms; the high mountainous island with a flat
top, and four rocks to the S E of it, that I call the Brothers, being on
my starboard hand. Soon after, an extensive opening appeared in the main
land, with a number of high islands in it. I called this t