Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/353

] about; but the deception soon ceased. This motion was produced by a large shoal of fishes, swimming near the surface, and which was pursued by a great number of birds.

Although it was now the season of the eastern monsoon, the winds blew, for four days, from the south-west to the north-west; but on the 14th, they resumed their south-east direction.

The same day, we saw a little island, very near New Guinea, and which is 10,000 toises distant from the island of Providence. That little island is in 2° 18′ 48″ S. lat. and 133° 8′ 47″ E. longitude.

The incessant and great heats in those latitudes, accelerated the decomposition of our water, which was so much the worse, as that to the use of which we were by that time reduced, was somewhat brackish. For the water which we first took in at Carteret harbour, was taken up too near the sea, and had been preserved, notwithstanding its bad quality. Besides, that the ballast may not be diminished, it is usual to fill the empty butts with salt-water, which ought to be well rinsed out, before they are again filled with fresh. But the boatswain's mate, who had the charge of the water, did not take so much trouble. It was easy to free the water from its inflammable air,