bands that were able to move applied their utiiioft force, the yfa.
. Anguft.
whole remaining part of the day, with the greateft prgehafe y— — <
we could make, we were not able to ftir it: we were very Sat“rda>' 1<!'
unwilling to cut* the cable, for though it was much
worn, we could at this time ill fuftain the lofs of it, as
we intended to make finall cord, which We much wanted,
o f the belt part of it. We therefore, with whatever reluctance,
defifted for the night, and the next day, having a little s“ndjy
recruited our ftrength, we were more fuccefsful; we got the
anchor up, but we found it fb much injured as to be wholly
unferviceable, the palm being broken.
From this place we failed to a little cove about three or
four miles diftant, to which we gave the name of E n g l i sh
C o v e : here we anchored, and immediately began to get
Wood and water, which we found in great plenty, befides
ballad; I alfo fent the boat out every day to different places
with the feine, but though there was plenty of fifli, we were
able to catch very little ; a misfortune which was probably
owing in part to the clearnefs of the water, in part to the
rockinefs of the beach, and perhaps in fome degree alfo to |
our want o f fkill: we plied this labour day and night, not-
withftanding the want o f fuccefs, and at the fame time had
recourfe to the hook and line, but to our great mortification
not a Angle fifh would take the bait. We faw a few turtle,
but they were fo fhy that we could not catch one of them;
here therefore we were condemned to the curfe of Tantalus;
perpetually in the fight of what our appetites moft importunately
craved, and perpetually difappointed in our attempts
to reach it. We got, however, from the rocks at low water,
a few rock oyfters, and cockles of a very large fize ; and
from the fhore fome cocoa-nuts, and the upper part o f the'
tree that bears them, which is called the cabbage : this cab-
V o l . L 3 B bage