Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/351

Rh were built upon the tops of eminences, exposed entirely to the S.E., contrary to those of the main, which are commonly placed under some bushes or hillside to break the wind. The officer who went in the boat returned with an account that the sea broke vastly high upon the reef, and that the swell was so great in the opening that he could not go into it to sound; this was sufficient to assure us of a safe passage out; so we got into the boat to return to the ship in high spirits, thinking our dangers now at an end, as we had a passage open for us to the main sea. On our return we went ashore on a low island, where we shot many birds: on it was the nest of an eagle, the young ones of which we killed; and another I knew not of what bird, built on the ground, of a most enormous magnitude: it was in circumference 26 feet, and in height 2 feet 8 inches, built of sticks. The only bird I have seen in this country capable of building such a nest seems to be the pelican. The Indians had been here likewise and lived upon turtle, as we could plainly see by the heaps of callipashes [carapaces] piled up in many parts of the island. Our master, who had been sent to leeward to examine that passage, went ashore upon a low island, where he slept; such great plenty of turtle had the Indians had when there, that they had hung up the fins with the meat left on them on trees, where the sun had dried them so well that our seamen eat them heartily. He saw also two spots clear of grass, which had lately been dug up; they were about seven feet long and shaped like a grave, for which indeed he took them.

13th. Ship stood out for the opening we had seen in the reef, and about two o'clock passed through it; it was about half a mile wide. As soon as the ship was well within it, we had no ground with 100 fathoms of line, so became in an instant quite easy, being once more in the main ocean, and subsequently freed from all fears of shoals, etc.

14th. For the first time these three months we were this