mI”ch. five of falling in with the land, which we actually difcover-
ed at five o’clock the next morning. The joy which this
fortunate event fpread on every countenance is fcarcely to
be defcribed. We had been an hundred and three days
out of fight of land; and the rigorous weather to the fouth4
tire fatigues of continual attendance during ftorms, or
amidft dangerous mafles of ice, the fudden changes of
climate, and the long, continuance of a noxious diet, all
together had emaciated and worn out our crew. The expectation
of a fpeedy end to their fufferings, and the hope
of finding the land flocked with abundance of fowls and
planted with fruits, according to the accounts of ,the Dutch
navigator, now filled them with uncommon alacrity and
cheer fulnefs.
E l ’uno a-I altro ft moftra, e in taftto oblia
L a noia, e ’1 mal de la paflata via. T asso.
We- advanced hut flowly towards the land by day, to the
great difappoint-ment of all on board, who became more
eager in proportion as new difficulties arofe to prolong
their diftreffes.. The land appeared of a moderate height,
and divided into feveral hills, which gently Hoped from
their fummits ; its extent did not feem to be confiderable,
and we were at too great a diftance to be able to form any
Saturday n. conjefture as to its productions. The next morning we
were becalmed within five leagues of the ifland, which had
then a black and fomewhat difagreeable appearance. We
amufed
amufed ourfelves with catching fharks, feveral of which M*ȣr.
fwam about the fhip, and eagerly fwallowed the hook,
which was baited with fait pork or beef. In the afternoon
a breeze fprung up, with which we flood towards the Chore,
in great hopes of reaching an anchoring-place before night.
The land did not look very promifing as we advaftced, there
being little verdure, and fcarcely any bufhes upon i t ; but
to us who had lingered fo long under all the diftreffes of a
tedious cruize at fea, the mod barren rock would have been
a welcome fight. In our way we perceived a ,great number
of black pillars Handing upright, near two hummocks,
and in different groups. They feemed to be the fame which
Roggewein’s people took for idols* ; but we gueffed already,
at that time, that they were fuch .monuments, in memory
of the dead, as the Taheitians and other people in the South
Seas ere£t near their burying-places, and call E-Tee.
The wind, which was contrary and very faint, the approach
of night, and the want of an anchoring-place on
the eaft fide of the ifland, difappointed us once more, and
forced us to pafs another night under fail, during which
we faw feveral fires in the neighbourhood of the pillars
above-mentioned. The Dutch, who likewife obferved them,
called them facrifices to the idols; but it Teems, to be more
probable that they were only lighted to drefs the food of
the natives.
* -See Mr, Dalrymple’ s Hiftorical GoUeaion of Voyages, & c . vol. II. p. 91.
V ol. L 4 B ' We