Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/392

 :330 SORVE� OF THE INTERTROPICAL �tO10. (Seber),-when there had been no rain for .o, is. seven rooMira, and we were told that when the ' dry season continues so long, there is no runni stream of fresh water upon the wholo island, but only small springs, which are at a consider- able distance from the sea side* :" this con- flicting acount was discouraging; but, as we had lately had much rain, it was hoped that 'there would be a suffici in the springs fir our use. Having fully weighed. all these cir- cumstance, we bore up for Savu, and, at four st p.m. on the i4th, anchored in Zeba Bay, on the north-west side of the island. The bank on which the anchor was dropped was .so steep that, although the anchor was in twelve fathoms,. the vessel was, at the length of forty fathoms of cable, in twenty-two fathoms. As we were bringing up, two musket were fired from the shore, and a white flag, or rather a ra, was suspended to a pole, around which a group of people had collected. This, flag gave us no very favourable idea of the respectability of the place, and the meaning of the muskets we (xJuld not divine, nor indeed ever did discover, unless it was that we had anchored on bad the boat was then hoisted out, and I went on. shore, accompanied by Messrs. Bedwell and �HAWKBSWOa*H, C,., VOL iii, p.

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