receive, in a friendly way, any of the natives who, from curiosity, or from any other cause, might pay us a visit I during our slumbers. Captain Young, and myself, chose a spot, protected from the night-wind by a large block of granite, and within a short distance of high-water-mark, where—our bed the sand,—our canopy the sky,—we were soon lulled asleep by the soothing sound of the hollow breeze, and the mournful melody of the murmuring sea.
Nothing occurred during the night to disturb us, and we did not awake till daylight, when we found ourselves much renovated by our uninterrupted repose. At an early hour we assembled, and partook of breakfast, consisting of cocoa, biscuit, and delicious oysters, which were found here, and caught in abundance at low water.
The receding tide having left the boats a-ground, the carpenter's first care was, to examine into the state of the long-boat. His report was exceedingly unfavourable. Besides standing much in need of caulking, and other repairs, it was discovered that the worms had committed sad havoc, several of the planks in her bottom being in an alarmingly decayed state, from their depredations. In short, the carpenter was afraid to meddle with her, lest he might make affairs worse,—but it was absolutely necessary that something should be done. We had no pitch, but we had a considerable quantity of oakum, and the carpenter was directed to chintz the worst places very gently, and afterwards to
