a turtle-shell still greasy, and some cut wood, the leaves of which were still
green, showing that some boat had been here very recently. We then entered the
jungle, cutting our way up to the top of the hill, but when we got there could see
nothing, owing to the thickness of the forest. Returning, we cut some bamboos,
and sharpened them to dig for water in a low spot where some sago-trees were
growing; when, just as we were going to begin, Hoi, the Wahai man, called out
to say he had found water. It was a deep hole among the Sago trees, in stiff black
clay, full of water, which was fresh, but smelt horribly from the quantity of dead
leaves and sago refuse that had fallen in. Hastily concluding that it was a spring,
or that the water had filtered in, we baled it all out as well as a dozen or twenty
buckets of mud and rubbish, hoping by night to have a good supply of clean
water. I then went on board to breakfast, leaving my two men to make a bamboo
raft to carry us on shore and back without wading. I had scarcely finished when
our cable broke, and we bumped against the rocks. Luckily it was smooth and
calm, and no damage was done. We searched for and got up our anchor, and
found teat the cable had been cut by grating all night upon the coral. Had it given
way in the night, we might have drifted out to sea without our anchor, or been
seriously damaged. In the evening we went to fetch water from the well, when,
greatly to our dismay, we found nothing but a little liquid mud at the bottom, and
it then became evident that the hole was one which had been made to collect rain
water, and would never fill again as long as the present drought continued. As
we did not know what we might suffer for want of water, we filled our jar with
this muddy stuff so that it might settle. In the afternoon I crossed over to the
other side of the island, and made a large fire, in order that our men might see
we were still there.
The next day (24th) I determined to have another search for water; and when
the tide was out rounded a rocky point and went to the extremity of the island
without finding any sign of the smallest stream. On our way back, noticing a
very small dry bed of a watercourse, I went up it to explore, although everything
was so dry that my men loudly declared it was useless to expect water there; but
a little way up I was rewarded by finding a few pints in a small pool. We
searched higher up in every hole and channel where water marks appeared, but
could find not a drop more. Sending one of my men for a large jar and teacup,
we searched along the beach till we found signs of another dry watercourse, and
on ascending this were so fortunate as to discover two deep sheltered rock-holes
containing several gallons of water, enough to fill all our jars. When the cup
came we enjoyed a good drink of the cool pure water, and before we left had
carried away, I believe, every drop on the island.