MAJOR SEMPLE LISLE. 213 



fembling the maft of a fhip ; we Hood towards 

 it, and found it to be a wreck; ftill no land was 

 to be fcen, but we perceived, more in fliore, fe- 

 veral mails which we concluded w^ere of velTels 

 laying at anchor, and though on Handing yet 

 farther in, nothing w^as to be feen as far as the 

 eye could reach but fand, we were convinced it 

 muft be the mou£h of Rio Grande^ lince we 

 knew that the coaft from thence to the Rio de 

 Plata does not afford a fingle harbour. 



The banks, which run far into the fea, made 

 our lituation horrible, as we feemed to be em- 

 bayed by breakers. There did not appear any 

 retreat for us, nor any podibilily of fafety, ex- 

 cept ftanding to fea, and that, with the gale ftill 

 blowing in all its violence, and night advancing, 

 offered only a forlorn hope. Befet with dangers 

 and threatened on all lides with fudden diffolu- 

 tion, one bold and laft effort remained ; we de- 

 termined to ftand through the breakers and to 

 fteer a dired courfe for the Ihips we faw riding 

 at anchor! 



On approaching the Ihore I had yielded the 

 helm to an able pilot. Lieutenant Drummond ; 

 confident in his fkill, forwards we went, while 

 all who dared look up, fixed their eyes on the 

 tremendous breakers we were about to encoun- 

 ter, and waited in filence that fate which feemed 

 inevitable. In an inftant the fea burfl over us 



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