Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/66

 high water, and when they got off, at two o'clock, P. M., it was low water. Neither, of thee iles is more, than five or ix miles in circumference, and they are ditant from each other four leagues and a half. The Eaternmot ile, appearing to be inacceible, can never be of much ue, except as a place for catching fih or taking eals: But the other ile, might be made to anwer, as a place of rendezvous in war or peace. It contains a pace, where tents might be pitched, and the ick accommodated, if the want of wood, water, and vegetables, could by any means, be urmounted. As to the firt, a hull or two, of a prize, would afford a ufficient upply; and as for the econd, a till, might be provided, to ditil alt water; and a mall quantity of oil, would be ufficient, to raie alladsalad [sic] herbs.

A whaler, indeed, never wants wood or water; of the latter, he has always a very large quantity; becaue all her empty caks, which he carries out for oil, are filled with water, by way of ballat; and as it is to be hoped, that the fiheries will not be dicontinued, he might always leave her urplus quantity here, by toring it into a tank. A few buts of earth, might alo be brought, and everal kinds of mall herbs, be raied. Should this retreat be dicovered, by the capture of any veel, it is o ituated, that a mall force would be enabled to defend it againt a large one. In the winter eaon, however, I cannot uppoe, that any cruizer,