The fires were still burning; and while we were employed upon the vessel the little grass that had before escaped the flames was consumed before our eyes, which greatly increased the oppressive heat we were experiencing. The thermometer during the day, exposed to a current of air and shaded from the sun, generally indicated a temperature of between 94 and 98 degrees; and on one occasion although it was exposed to a fresh sea-breeze the mercury stood at 101 degrees at noon: at night however we were usually relieved by its falling to 75 degrees; and at two o'clock in the morning it generally stood at 73 degrees. The maximum and minimum temperature during fourteen days was 101 degrees and 72 1/2 degrees. The daily range of the thermometer was as much as 20 degrees, while the mercury on board did not rise or fall more than 3 or 4 degrees. This great difference is to be attributed to the cooling power of the dew which was precipitated most copiously every night upon the surface of the earth; whilst the water, not being so easily affected by this nightly radiation, took so much longer to cool. In the daytime the reverse took place; for the earth being much more heated by the action of the sun's rays than the water, the temperature on shore was much greater than on the sea. We had no thermometer with us that could measure the heat of the sand upon which our tents were erected. Mr. Hunter placed his pocket-thermometer in it but the mercury reaching the top of the tube, which was graduated to 130 degrees, he was obliged to withdraw it to preserve the instrument from being damaged. On one occasion we had a hot land-wind from the South-East that veered round as the day advanced to North-East, during which the thermometer stood at 96 degrees; generally however we had a fresh sea-breeze from the north-west, with clear and fine weather; but towards the latter part of our visit we had some very cloudy dull days and a few showers of rain: this change hurried my departure; and we considered ourselves fortunate in embarking our provisions and bread without getting them wetted. On the 5th, after two ineffectual attempts to heave the cutter off the ground, she floated. October 8. And by the 8th, everything being embarked, we made preparations to quit this place which had afforded us the means of repairing our damage and stopping for the present the progress of an injury which had been every day assuming a more serious aspect. The country in the vicinity of the bay which, from the use we made of it, was called Careening Bay, is only slightly covered with a poor, stony soil; but notwithstanding this drawback the hills are well wooded and vegetation so abundant that, had it not been for the conflagration which has lately spoiled the trees of their leaves, the country would have appeared pleasing and verdant. The following is a list of some of the trees indigenous to the shores and neighbourhood of Careening Bay, for which I am indebted to Mr. Cunningham:--