On approaching the entrance of the bay, I clearly perceived that there was no possibility of the brig being able to enter. On perceiving this, the pilot, as is usual with natives under similar circumstances, became completely cast down, and all that I could learn from him was that he had never visited the island before except during the westerly monsoon, and then only in small vessels which they could row over the reefs. This was all very true; but had he only given me the slightest idea of the situation of the bay, I should certainly not have come here; but it was now necessary to make a virtue of necessity, and come to a speedy determination. The wind blew directly out of the mouth of the bay, which was very narrow, so that there was no possibility of working in. We could obtain no bottom with the deep-sea lead and one hundred fathoms of line, while we were everywhere surrounded by shoals. I therefore sent the boats to lie on the edge of the coral reef which fronts the village of Watidal, and then stood on, hoping that our anchor might hook a rock and hold fast; but, although the anchor was let go in four fathoms water, it had dragged into twelve fathoms before the ship was brought up, while under the stern there was thirty-eight fathoms. A kedge was then carried out astern, to prevent the tide from swinging the ship on to the reef. Before the sails could be furled, or the boarding nettings spread, the brig was surrounded on all sides by a number of canoes, and I had no sooner given permission to a couple of natives to come on board, than the others all followed, so that, in a less space of time than five minutes, the brig was full of men, who had crept on board through the ports and every place where they could find admission. With a view to inspire them with confidence I permitted them to enter, and received them in as friendly a manner as possible, the distribution of some glasses of arrack among them contributing not a little to produce the desired effect.