CHAPTER XIX.
August 1788 to February 1789 Appearance of the scurvy--The boats land at one of the Pelew Islands--Account of the Natives who were seen, and conjectures concerning them--Distresses--The Friendship cleared and sunk--Miserable condition of the Alexander when she reached Batavia .-- Conclusion.
10 August 1788 Hitherto no difficulties had been encountered but such as necessarily attend the exploring of new coasts, wherein the anxiety is fully compensated by the satisfaction of becoming a discoverer: but a dreadful scourge now hung over our navigators, the severity of which cannot easily be conceived, even by those who have been placed in similar scenes, so much did it exceed in degree every thing of the same kind that has been usually experienced.

It was about this time, the 10th of August, that the scurvy began to make its appearance, which, for want of the proper remedies, increased to a malignity that was destructive of many lives, rendered it necessary to sacrifice one of the ships, and finally reduced the consolidated crews of both in the remaining transport to such a state of weakness, that without immediate assistance they must have perished even in port, or would have been driven adrift again, from total inability to take the necessary steps for their own preservation.
13 August 1788 On the thirteenth of August, five seamen of the Alexander were already on the sick list, complaining of pains in the legs and breast, with their gums so swelled, and their teeth so loose that they could not without difficulty eat even flour or rice.

The weather was now very variable, often sultry, at other times squally, with occasional showers.

The ships were probably at no great distance from some land, as birds were frequently seen in great numbers; and on the 16th the Friendship made the signal for seeing land, but it could not be descried from the Alexander.
Sharks were also caught with the hook, and now and then some floating wood and vegetables were observed.

On this day the two transports passed the equator.