A ugust,
177*.
Tuefday 18. -
long fhape and blueifh colour, and having a very quick
d'efcending motion : its eourfe was N. W. and it difap-
peared in the horizon after a momentary duration. Our
diftance from St. Jago was fifty-five leagues at noon, not-
withflanding which, we faw a fw allow following our
veffel, and making numberlefs circles round it. The
necefîary manoeuvres of trimming the fails, in the evening
difturbed it from its rooft on one of the gun-ports, upon
which it took fhelter in the carved work of the ftern;
The two following days it continued to attend the Ihip
on her courie. During this time we obferved many
bonitos in the fea around us, which frequently fhot paft
us with great velocity ; but notwithftanding our endeavours
to catch them with hooks, and ftrike them with harpoons,
we could not take a fingle one. The crew were more
fuccefsful in hooking a fhark of about five feet in length.
Its common attendants, the pilot-fifh (gajterofteus duclor) and
fucking-fifit (echeneis remora), likewife appeared with it;,
but with this difference, that the former carefully avoided
being caught, and fwam about very nimbly ; but the
latter ftuck fo faft to the fhark’s body, that four of them
were hauled on deck with it. We dined on part of the
fhark the next day, and found it a tolerable food when
fried, but rather of difficult digeftion on account of its -
fat.
Two
Two days after, Henry Smock, one of the carpenter’s
crew, being employed on the fides of the Ihip, was fud-
denly miffed, and probably had fallen over-board and was
drowned. His good-natured character, and a kind of
ferious turn of mind caufed him to be regretted even
among his fhipmates, and muft embitter his lofs to thofe,
whom the tender ties of parental or conjugal affedlion had
united to him. Humanity ftole a tear from each feeling
traveller, the tribute due to a rational fellow-creature of
a gentle and amiable difpofition.
We had frequent fhowers after leaving St. Jago, and
experienced a remarkable heavy fall of rain on the 21 ft,
during which we caught up feven puncheons of frelh
water in our fpread awnings. This fupply, though we
were not diftrefled for want of it, was however very fea-
fonable, inafuiuch as we were now enabled to give large
allowance of this neceffary element to the crew, Captain
Cook s remark deduced from long experience, that abundance
of frelh water contributes to the prefervation of health
in long voyages, is extremely judicious, and feems to be
founded on the known principles of phyfiology. If Teamen
have plenty of water to drink, and fome to walk
tliemfelves and their linen, this effential precaution will
in a great meafure prevent the fea-fcurvy from gaining
ground among them. Their blood is diluted, and the'
wafte of fluids caufed by profufe: perfpiratioh in hot cli-
2 mates,
*77*-
A ugust.
Thurfday to.
Friday t t *