290 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
length, and seven inches in diameter; it appeared to 
have been a considerable time in the water; there 
was no axe-mark, or that of any other tool, to be seen 
upon it, so that it is probable that it had been 
drifted to this place from the coast of America. 
Our latitude at noon was 61° 8’ N., and longitude, 
when sights were taken for chronometer in the 
forenoon, 34° 44’ W. Several land-birds, namely, 
hawks, and wheat-ears, have been seen about the 
ship at different times for some days past. 
Monday, 16th. — A heavy gale of wind. com- 
menced very suddenly at nine o’clock in the fore- 
noon of Saturday last, and continued to blow very 
violently from that time until noon to-day, and 
heavy squalls occurred indeed occasionally until 
three o’clock in the afternoon. During the first 
night of the gale our stern-boat was carried away 
by a sea, which struck her. That, however, was 
a loss that hardly deserves to be mentioned, when 
compared with what we sustained to-day, for at 
half-past one o’clock this afternoon, we carried 
away our bowsprit, fore-mast, (about two feet above 
the deck,) and main-top-mast, a little above the 
cap. Our best bower-anchor was also obliged to 
be cut away, in consequence of some of the wreck 
getting entangled with it. Notwithstanding the 
bustle and confusion that were unavoidably occa- 
sioned by this accident, and the boisterous state 
of the weather, the ship was cleared of the wreck, 
and the remaining masts secured without any per- 
son being hurt. 
Wie diasiles 18th. — All hands have been busily 
employed during these two days fitting the rigging, 
