470 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



Close to the besoms at Stanavoialachta (east of the 

 channel, and therefore upside down), we hailed a 

 schooner, a German, from Kostuck, where Engel comes 

 from, and he was hailed from the deck by his name, 

 Robert. 



Just then Captain Taylor sung out, ' We're aground ! ' 

 (we were just rounding the point of Stanavoialachta, 

 and Seebohm and I were on the paddle-boxes with 

 Engel), but she slipped off, and the idea of ground 

 there was ridiculed. The besoms are set upon large 

 stones, which Engel told us are often very difficult to 

 find, as the current runs strong round the point. 



At the bar a message, ' 10 feet of water only on the 

 bar,' was signalled from the cutter, and we had to lie 

 to and wait for the tide to carry us over. We went 

 aboard the schooner, and Captain Taylor and all hands, 

 including the pilot, assured Engel that she had three 

 times hit hard ground at the Stanavoialachta besoms. 

 Engel could only in answer assure them that there 

 was no ground there. 



I turned in, and Engel gave us a further tow out until 

 we sighted the beacon at Dvoinik, a little past the 

 furthest light-ship, the first beyond the bar. 



All sails were set, and we glided gently on towards the 

 N.E. (N.E. by N.) so as to sight the beacon on the 

 William Bank and join the course given on the chart. 

 The tide rising, the current > sets from the westward, 

 so we shall be carried somewhat to south of the William 

 Bank. 



August 2. 



This was at 6 o'clock a.m. on the morning of Monday, 

 the 2nd of August, and then the Captain turned in and 

 left orders to be wakened at eight, about which time he 

 expects to sight Constantinovka beacon. 



A barque, The Blue Wave, in company with a schooner, 



