1769. HOUND THE WORLD, S5T 



immediately led the way. The ladder consisted of 

 steps fastened to a pole, but we found the ascent both 

 difficult and dangerous. When we entered we found 

 three women, who, the moment they saw us, burst 

 into tears of terror and surprise: some kind words 

 and a few presents soon removed their apprehensions, 

 and put them into good humour. We examined the 

 house of our old friend, and by his interest two 

 others, which were all that the tbrtification contained, 

 and having distributed a few more presents, we parted 

 with mutual satisfaction. 



At four o'clock in the morning of the 5th of De- 

 cember, we weighed, with a light breeze, but it 

 being variable with frequent calms, we made little 

 way. W^e kept turning out of the bay till the after- 

 noon, and about ten o'clock we were suddenly be-, 

 calmed, so that the ship would neither wear nor stay, 

 and the tide or current setting strong, she drove to- 

 wards land so fast, that before any measures could 

 be taken for her security, she was within a cable's 

 length of the breakers : we had thirteen fathom water, 

 but the ground was so foul that we did not dare to 

 drop our anchor; the pinnace therefore was imm.edi- 

 ately hoisted out to take the ship in tow, and the 

 men, sensible of their danger, exerting themselves 

 to the utmost, and a faint breeze springing up off the 

 land, we perceived, with unspeakable joy, that she 

 made head- way, after having been so near the shore 

 that Tupia, who was not sensible of our hair's breadth 

 escape, was at 'this very time conversing with the 

 people upon the beach, whose voices were distinctly 

 heard, notwithstanding the roar of the breakers. We 

 now thought all danger was over, but about an hour 

 afterwards, just as the man in the chains had cried 

 " seventeen fathom," the ship struck. The shock 

 threw us all into the utmost consternation; Mr. 

 Banks, who had undressed himself and was stepping 

 into bed, ran hastily up to the deck, and the man 

 in the chains called out " five fathom ;" by this time, 



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