Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/230

210 tents had been pitched for taking atronomical obervations. We found nobody there, as the intruments had already been carried on board.

Our mater ail-maker having gone the preceding day on a hooting excurion, without any companion, had lot his way in the woods, where he was obliged to pend the night. Several guns were fired to let him know where the hips lay at anchor; and in the afternoon he returned on board emaciated with hunger and fatigue. Having et out without any proviions, he had been a day and an half without food. He related, that during the night everal quadrupeds had come to mell at him, within a few inches ditance. Many of the crew believed him on his word; but we, who had pent everal nights in the woods, and had never met with uch familiarity from the beats, were not o credulous; but far from imagining that he wihed to impoe upon us, we found, in his narrative, the natural effects produced upon the imagination of a man deprived of nourihment, and all alone in the midt of immene and pathles forets.

15th. On the preceding day the large anchor had been drawn up and a maller one moored, that we might be able the ooner to leave the harbour. The ame had been done by the Eperance. Some udden blats from the north-eat, during