PROGRESS ALONG THE (OAST. 83 



could not fail to cause me great anxiety, and 1824. 

 we were only enabled to run during the day- Sept. 

 light, and not even then if the weather proved 

 thick, for our compasses being of no use, we 

 were helpless when the sun was clouded. In 

 addition to this, we had been convinced by 

 experience that the ship would never work oft' 

 a lee shore, and our leads were in consequence 

 kept going night and day, to the great fatigue 

 of the men ; who, however, were uncomplain- 

 ing, as they were aware that by this alone 

 we could obtain timely notice of an approach 

 to land, and be enabled to keep the ship dis- 

 tant from it. 



At four A.M. on the 3d, we weighed, and 

 with an easterly wind, stood, as near as we 

 could judge, w.s.w., at eight miles' distance 

 from the shore. By thirty minutes after 

 seven in the same parallel, we shoaled to 

 seven fathoms, and kept away due south for 

 deeper water. In two miles run we had six- 

 teen fathoms, and then hauled up occasionally 

 as the soundings favoured us, from sixteen to 

 ten fathoms, very irregular bottom. At eleven 

 A.M. we had deepened to thirty, and then 

 kept N.N.w. as we thought, no sun being in 

 sight. Small rain and a fresh wind set in, 



and after noon, we fancied that the loom of 



G 2 



