74 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



At daylight of the 6th we found Cape Padron bearing 

 S. b. E. ^E., and Shark Point S.E. ^S.; the latitude at 

 noon in the same situation being 6° 5'. At noon weighed 

 with a prett}^ fresh sea breeze, and ran in for the land 

 between the aliove points, until within half a mile of the 

 shore, when we had 20 fathoms water. We then bore up 

 towards Shark Point, and immediately lost soundings, nor 

 did we again get bottom with the hand lead until it sud- 

 denly strutk the ground in 5 fathoms ; the anchor Avith the 

 chain cable was immediately let go, but finding the ship did 

 not bring up, and was drifting from the buoy, I concluded 

 the chain had snapped, and directed another anchor to be 

 let go; but before this was done the ship was in 36 fathoms 

 and still drifting; both the chain and cable were now veered 

 away, and she at last brought up ; but fearing she would 

 again go adrift, the kedge anchor, backed by a smaller one, 

 Avas run out. The Congo sloop, which had let go her anchor 

 . in 4 fathoms, also drove, and fell along side of us, but without 

 any other ill consequence than the loss of her anchor and 

 cable, which, by some mismanagement, was suffered to run 

 out end for end. AVhenthe ship had brought up we found that 

 she tailed on a mud bank with but 7 fathoms, while imder 

 the chains was 14, and under the bows 36. Where we first 

 let go the anchor in 4i fathoms, there was no current what- 



