177^* ROUND THE WORLD. 181 



pelled to return back in search of another passage, by 

 which, or any other accident that should cause the same 

 delay, we should infallibly lose our passage to the 

 East Indies, and endanger the ruin of the voyage, 

 as we had now but little more than three months' pro- 

 visions on board at short allowance. 



Having stated this opinion, and the facts and ap- 

 pearances upon which it was founded, to the officers, 

 it was unanimously agreed, that the best thing we 

 could do would be to quit the coast altogether, till 

 we could approach it with less danger. 



In the morning, therefore, at break of day, we got 

 under sail, and stood out N. E. for the north-west end 

 of Lizard Island, leaving Eagle Island to windward, 

 and some other islands and shoals to the leeward, 

 and having the pinnace a-head to ascertain the depth 

 of water in every part of our course. In this channel 

 we had from nine to fourteen fathom. At noon, the 

 north-west end of Lizard Island bore E. S. E,, distant 

 one mile ; our latitude by observation was 14 38', 

 and our depth of water fourteen fathom. We had a 

 steady gale at S. E., and by two o'clock we just 

 fetched to windward of one of the channels or open- 

 ings in the outer reei\ which I had seen from the 

 island. We now tacked, and made a short trip to 

 the S. W., while the master in the pinnace examined 

 the channel : he soon made the signal for the ship to 

 follow, and in a short time she got safe out. As soon 

 as we had got without the breakers, we had no ground 

 with one hundred and fifty fathom, and found a 

 large sea rolling in from the S. E., a certain sign that 

 neither land nor shoals were near us in that direc- 

 tion. 



Our change of situation was now visible in every 

 countenance, for it was most sensibly felt in every 

 breast : we had been little less than three months 

 entangled among shoals and rocks, that every moment 

 threatened us with destruction ; frequently passing 

 our nights at anchor within hearing of the surge that 



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