Tempesttious Weather. 289 



had fallen from the mast a few days previously, and severely 

 injured himself, and forthwith asked whether we could render 

 him any surgical assistance. Considering the precarious cir- 

 cumstances under which we ourselves were on the island, we 

 judged it more advisable to receive the unfortunate whaler on 

 board the frigate, where we could give him all necessary 

 assistance. As we afterwards learned, the surgeon of the fri- 

 gate, Dr. Ruschitztha, notwithstanding the inclemency of the 

 weather, was ordered from the frigate, and had the satisfaction 

 of rendering valuable assistance to the invalid. 



The foul weather continued all day, and during the night of 

 the 21st, it became so tempestuous that the frigate was at last 

 compelled to put to sea. About 3.30 a.m. she began to labour 

 ncavily with an unusually high sea and frequent shifts of 

 wind, accompanied by showers of rain, after a heavy blow from 

 the N.W., so that at first it was thought on board that one of 

 these furious gusts, which for several hours past had followed 

 each other at regular intervals, had sprung the cable, and that 

 the anchor would be lost. The jib accordingly was hoisted, 

 and the fore-topsail set with four reefs in it, and an attempt 

 made to weigh anchor. This operation, at all times laborious, 

 was now especially so, and seemed as though it would never 

 have an end. Although the capstan was manned, as already 

 said, at 3.30, it was not till past seven, or four hours later that 

 the anchor hove in sight. It was the port anchor that had 

 been weighed, and it was now perceived that one of the flukes 

 had given way, and was entirely broken off. In such stormy 



