Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/99

Rh miles. The following day a boat was sent on shore at one of the San Benito islands: she brought back information that the place was well stocked with sea-elephants and seals. In the mean time the ship proceeded towards the island of Ceros, and on Friday, the 1st of August, she came to an anchor at the S. E. part of that island.

On Sunday the carpenter was employed in examining the state of the vessel, and after ripping off the copper from the bows, and taking down the filling pieces, the wood-ends and some of the planks were found very much decayed. In the afternoon Captain Duck, finding himself very ill, went on shore. The next day the carpenter discovering a plank very much eaten by rats, he removed it altogether, and replaced it with a new one.

On Thursday, the 7th of August, the O'Caen, an American ship, from Boston, came to an anchor at this island. This vessel brought information that a Spanish sloop of war was at anchor in an inlet, about three days sail to the northward, on the coast of California. She had been sent by the viceroy of Peru to receive the tributes from the different governors on that coast; but on her return, being very leaky, and her crew in a bad state of health, she was under the necessity of putting into that place to refresh,