morning of the 23d, when one of the sailors, in washing his face over the side of the barge, discovered that the water was fresh. The discovery soon became general, and, although the circumstance was much inferior, the exultation of all on board almost equalled that of the ten thousand on catching the first glimpse of the sea; for the conscious proximity to Bataviahad not carried such complete conviction of the termination of our troubles, as the unexpected abundance of fresh water. It was soon ascertained that we were opposite the mouth of a river, and that the flowing in of the stream freshened the sea-water for a considerable distance[1]. The sailors pulled with renewed vigour, and we got alongside the Princess Charlotte, an English merchant ship, soon after ten o’clock.
“Letters were immediately sent by his Excellency to the Dutch Governor and to Mr. Fendall, whom, with the other British Commissioners, we were fortunate enough to find still on the island[2]. All parties were alike zealous to afford every assistance to those who had arrived, and to send relief to the larger body that had remained behind. The East India Company’s cruiser, Ternate, was luckily in the roads, and that vessel, together with the Princess Charlotte, were got ready for sea by the next morning, when they sailed for Pulo Leat. The sincere friendship I felt for Captain Maxwell, and my regard for the officers of the Alceste generally, had led me to promise, on leaving them, that I would return with the first succours; and I was happy to have an early opportunity of redeeming my pledge, by embarking on board the Ternate.
“This vessel, owing to the skill and unremitting attention of Captain Davison, succeeded in reaching an anchorage 12 miles distant from the nearest point of Pulo Leat, on the 3d of March. She was unable to approach nearer, from the strength of the current rendering it impracticable to work against the wind, then also unfavourable. On coming to an anchor we observed a fleet of Malay proas, or pirate boats, off the extremity of the island, in the act of precipitately getting under weigh, evidently alarmed by our arrival; the circumstance increased our anxiety for the situation of our companions, whose discomfort, if not sufferings, must have been aggravated by the presence of a barbarous enemy. Indeed, under every view of the case, it was impossible not to feel the most serious apprehensions as to what might be their actual condition. When we left them their whole stock of provisions did not exceed one week at full allowance; only two casks of water had been saved; and though on digging to the depth of 12 feet a prospect existed of obtaining water by further perseverance, it had not then actually been realized, much less its quality ascertained. Should sickness have appeared amongst them, the total want of comfort, or even protection from the inclemency of the weather, combined with the
