On the 28th, in the latitude of 33° 7ʹ S., longitude 102° 33ʹ W., we began to see flying-fish, egg-birds, and nodies, which are said not to go above sixty or eighty leagues from land; but of this we have no certainty. No one yet knows to what distance any of the oceanic birds go to sea; for my own part, I do not believe there is one in the whole tribe that can be relied on, in pointing out the vicinity of land. In the latitude of 30° 30ʹ S., longitude 101° 45ʹ W., we began to see men-of-war birds. In the latitude of 29° 44ʹ, longitude 100° 45ʹ W., we had a calm for near two days together, during which time the heat was intolerable; but what ought to be remarked, was a very great swell from the south-west. On the 6th of March, the calm was succeeded by an easterly wind, with which we steered north-west till noon the 8th, when, being in the latitude of 27° 4ʹ S., longitude 103° 58ʹ W., we steered west, meeting every day with great numbers of birds, such as men-of-war, tropic, and egg-birds, nodies, sheer-waters, &c., and once we passed several pieces of sponge, and a small dried leaf not unlike a bay one. Soon after, we saw a sea-snake, in every respect like those we had before seen at the tropical islands. We also saw plenty of fish; but were such bad fishers, that we caught only four albacores, which were very acceptable, to me especially, who was just recovering from my late illness. CHAP. VII. SEQUEL OF THE PASSAGE FROM NEW ZEALAND TO EASTER ISLAND, AND TRANSACTIONS THERE, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF AN EXPEDITION TO DISCOVER THE INLAND PART OF THE COUNTRY, AND A DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE SURPRISING GIGANTIC STATUES FOUND IN THE ISLAND.