A great acquisition to the island has been a good supply of water: a shaft had just been sunk upon one of the mountains, and several tons of water had been raised daily. The only inconvenience is their being obliged to bring the water down by casks in carts; but iron pipes, from England, are now being laid down, to convey the water to the wharf, and the shipping will be supplied by means of hoses. Moorings are laid down in the roadstead. The turtle-ponds were well stocked with turtles of large size, varying from two to eight hundred weight each: the price fixed, was fifty shillings each. We were politely invited, and dined with the officers at their mess. At a place called “The Fair,” the birds named sea-swallows, as well as numerous other aquatic birds, congregate; and the eggs of the sea-swallows, which are of a dirty white, with dark red spots, and about the size of crows’ eggs, are there collected at certain seasons of the year, in thousands: several of these were given to us, and found delicate and excellent eating. It was dark before we went off to the ship, and a heavy surf rendered the embarkation very dangerous: no boats should attempt going off after dark. A marine, named James, who was a little intoxicated, fell into the water, and, being overpowered by the violence of the surf and the eddy, perished. After some difficulty, we all re-embarked, and, getting safely on board, resumed our voyage. The island is considered generally healthy, dysentery being the only disease experienced; and the temperature of the air pleasant, being seldom higher in the shade than 83°, the constant trade-breeze tending to keep the atmosphere temperate. Merchant-ships, in distress for supplies, may here obtain them, the only extra charge made by the government being the freight from England. Fish can be procured in some quantity, and a kind of conger eel, procured at this island, had, when brought to the table, the bones of a lilac colour. We experienced a very light south-east trade-wind for almost its whole limit, and lost it in lat. 00° 36′ north, and lon. 20° 40′ west. We afterwards experienced calms and light airs, with but little rain. On the 13th of March, in lat. 1° 23′ north, and lon. 22° 15′ west, several sail were in sight, steering to the southward; and about two P.M. we spoke the barque, Lord of the Isles, last from Falmouth, bound to Calcutta: she left Falmouth the 7th of February. A boat was sent from the barque, bringing letters for conveyance to England, and newspapers of December and January, which afforded us some knowledge of how the world was going on. Sharks, accompanied by pilot-fish, and having several of the Remora, or sucking-fish, attached to them, were occasionally about the ship during the calm weather.