THE WELCOME. 85 



5th, but towards noon the sky began to break, 1834. 

 and we obtained observations. The wind, from Sept. 

 the sun's bearings, was now found to be N.b.E. 

 In the evening a bright arch rose in the north- 

 west, and we quickly found that the gale had 

 shifted with increased violence to that quarter. 

 By night not a cloud was to be seen, and there 

 was every indication of a decided north-w^est 

 gale. During the first w^atch, while wearing, 

 the state of our compasses was found as shewn 

 in the Appendix, corresponding exactly with 

 our observations for three days before, which 

 may therefore be depended on. 



In the act of wearing, we shipped some very 

 heavy seas over all, but were now so accus- 

 tomed to this, that it did not distress us. Our 

 soundings throughout the day had varied from 

 sixty to ninety fathoms. 



The nights had now become very long and 

 dark, and the lateness of the season, with our 

 slow progress, gave me great anxiety for the 

 ship, situated as she was in a narrow channel 

 of the most uncertain description, and con- 

 stantly exposed to the severity of equinoctial 

 gales. I washed to have found some sheltered 

 anchorage in which to water, and at the same 

 time to examine our rudder, which was evi- 

 dently loosened by the blows it had received ; 



