272 VOYAGE TO THE 



stood in for the northern shore of the sound, expect- 

 ing to make the land well to windward of Cape Blos- 

 som, where the soundings decrease so gradually that a 

 due attention to the lead is the only precaution neces- 

 sary to prevent running on shore ; but there had unfor- 

 tunately been a strong current during the night, which 

 had drifted the ship towards Hotham Inlet, where the 

 water shoaling suddenly from five fathoms to two and 

 a half, the ship struck upon the sand while in the act 

 of going about ; and soon became fixed by the current 

 running over the shoal. In consequence of this cur- 

 rent our small boats experienced the utmost difficulty 

 in carrying out an anchor, but they at length succeed- 

 ed, though to no purpose, as the ship was immoveable. 

 Looking to the possible result of this catastrophe, we 

 congratulated ourselves on having the barge at hand 

 to convey the crew to Kamschatka, little suspecting, 

 from an accident which had already befallen her, in 

 what a helpless condition each party was at that mo- 

 ment placed. Fortunately we were not reduced to the 

 necessity of abandoning the ship, which appearances at 

 one time led us to apprehend, as the wind moderated 

 shortly after she struck, and on the rising of the next 

 tide she went off without having received any apparent 

 injury. 



