THEPACIFICOCEAN. 435 



Ihins were in fix fathoms. By hauling; a little more to '7-8. - 

 the Northward, we conrinued in much the fame depth till v_-^^ — «y 

 between five and fix o'clock, when the boats meeting with 

 lefs and lefs wa'cr, I made the fignal to the Difcovery, fhe 

 being then ahead, to anchor, which we did foon after. In 

 bringing our fhip up, the cable parted at the clinch, which 

 obliged us to come to with the other anchor. We rode in 

 fix fathoms water, a fandy bottom, and about four or five 

 leagues from the mainland} Cape Newenham bearing 

 South, feventeen leagues diftant. The farthell hills we 

 could lee to the North, bore North Eaft by Eaft; but there 

 was low land ftretching out from the high land, as far as 

 North by ^ aft. Without this, was a flioal of fand and ftones, 

 that was dry at half ebb. 



I had fent the two Mafters each in a boat, to found be- 

 tween this fhoal and the coaft. On their return, they re- 

 ported, that there was a channel, in which they found fix 

 and feven fathoms water ; but that it was narrow and intri- 

 cate. At low water, we made an attempt to get a hawfer 

 round the loft anchor; but did not fucceed then. However, 

 being determined not to leave it behind me, as long as 

 there was a probability of recovering it, I perfevered in my 

 endeavours ; and at laft fucceeded in the evening of the 20th. Monday 20. 



While we were thus employed, I ordered Captain Clerke 

 to fend his Mafter in a boat to look for a pafiTage in the 

 South Weft quarter. He did fo ; but no channel was to be 

 found in that direction ; nor did there appear to be any way 

 JO get clear of thefe flioals, but to return by the track which 

 had brought us in. For, although by following the channel 

 we were in, we might probably have got farther down the 

 coaft } and though pollibly this channel might have led us 



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