Ii5 natml ojfairs^. Jan. i3t- 



storm arising, a boat could live in a rough sea, with much 

 greater safety, with- such a line dragging after it, than with- 

 out it. The boat's company, without being able to afsiga 

 any reason for this phenomenon, were well convinced of 

 its elhcacy on the present occasion, and took care to avail 

 themselves of it until they were providentially taken up 

 at sea, after having suffered great hardlhips from hunger* 

 and thirst. 



Captain Kennefdy, after he was on (hore, took care to- 

 communicate an account of this discovery •, but how io 

 has happened to be so little adverted to, I cannot tell. 

 He afterwards drew up a narrative in writing, which now* 

 lies before me, in which he states another fact that 

 strongly confirms the great utility of this very simple con-- 

 J^ivance. 



" On our pafsage to London, on board a large (liip 

 deeply loaded, the sea ran high for several days) and, 

 •scudding, it was thought absolutely necefsary to put iil 

 the dead lights. The weather being cold, and not having 

 a fire place in the cabin, caused us to constitute in its 

 place, a large tub filled with sand, in which we made 

 a fire, and not only drefsed victuals for the cabin, but also 

 for the Hiip's crew j as there was no pofsibility of making 

 fire on the deck. In this situation my mate applied to 

 the master of the vefsel for leave to put out a tow-line, 

 ■which he scornfully refused j however, next morning^ 

 when the master of the vefsel was asleep, we put out the 

 tow-line, a coil of laneard of sixty fathoms, with a piece of 

 v.ood a', the end of the line. To the great astonifhment 

 of the mate and crew then on deck, the sea abated, and 

 did not range or come near the {hip's stern, as it had donc 

 btfore tlie line was made use of. Next morning, two of 

 the middle dead lights were taken down, and the fliipV 

 crew were able to make a fire on the deck, though the sc<t 



