OF LA PEROUSE. 4$* 



Bay, and its direction is from north-eaft to 

 fouth-wcft. The Efpe ranee anchored there at % 

 very early hour. 



Having run a third of the way up into this bay, 

 we got bottom, at two fathoms and a half; it was 

 not prudent to proceed farther without founding 

 the track that we were to follow, and this was 

 the more eafy as we had feveral boats in the wa- 

 ter. Cretin, who had been fent to take the 

 foundings of this cove the preceding year, told 

 the Admiral that we fhould not find lefs than two 

 fathoms and a half; which precluded all farther 

 examination. However, this aflTertion ought not 

 to have been fully credited, for, independently f 

 Cretin not having^ when he had founded, employ- 

 ed fufficient time to anfwer within a quarter of a 

 fathom for the depth of water, it was doubtful 

 whether he had not performed this ferviee at low 

 water, which might occafion a difference of at 

 leafl three quarters of a fathom, and caufe us to 

 touch. Notwithstanding thefe confederations, 

 the Admiral made no hefitation in fleering to 

 port, thus approaching ft ill nearer the low lands ; 

 accordingly wefoon ran aground, but fortunately 

 it was on fand. This happened at half pafl 

 nine o'clock. The wind came down in heavy 

 fqualls from the top of the mountains, and drove 

 us with violence towards the coafl, working us 

 deeper and deeper into the fand. 



The 



