MAJOR SEMPLE LISLE. 211 



fhip, and, anxious to make land as foon 

 as pofiible, fleered but little to the north- 

 ivard of weft. At our departure the weather 

 ■was tolerably moderate ; before midnight we 

 were afTailed by a moft violent ftorm, attended by 

 the heavieft rains I ever witnelTed. The tempeft 

 fomewhat fubfided toward mornins", but as we 

 approached the land, blew with redoubled fury; 

 fortunately we had fixed up fome ftanchions on 

 the boat's gunwale ; and nailed a breadth of can- 

 vas, brought with us for that purpofe, fore and 

 aft, which we found of great ufe in keeping off 

 the fpray ; and to this wc owed much of our 

 prefcrvation. 



Mr. Black, Mr. Murchifon, the Second 

 Mate, and Mr. Drummund undertook the ma- 

 nagement of the boat ; Enlign Prater, who, in 

 his earlier days, had been fome voyageis to the 

 Eaft Indies and other parts, being fuppofed 

 fomething of a failor, was added to their num- 

 ber ; myfelf and the others were conftantly em- 

 ployed in bailing ; for, independent of the boat 

 being very leaky, the fea run fo high, and the 

 rain fell fo heavy, that fhe was continually 

 filling with water. The quick and violent mo- 

 tion made even the beft feamen fick ; poor Black 

 was rendered incapable of adion, and Prater, 

 after all his profeflions, was in due form pro- 

 nounced neither failor nor Joldicr ; he was turned 



P 2 from 



