A spell of bad weather followed, ending on the 23rd, when, the day being fine, the boats were lowered and the keels overhauled and repaired, and it was then found that a new piece of wood which had been put on the after keel at Port Praya was missing.

Not having sufficient timber on board to repair it as before, the keel was let farther down in the well and a breadth of planking was joined to it with iron hooping and nails, with the result that it extended three feet below the vessel.
On the 28th, when nearing Rio de Janeiro, an inspection was made of the bread and water, and as the latter was found to be in good condition Grant decided not to enter the port.

Some of the bread was a little damaged by leakage into the bread room, but a more water-tight place for storing it was soon found.

About the same date birds were again observed, particularly the hoglet: the men caught many of these and made caps of their skins.

Mother Cary's chickens* (* Procellaria pelagica Linn.) were also met with in great numbers.