38 GROUNDING OF THE SAMARANG. [1843 



return found the ship inclined to port, twenty-two degrees, 

 a most unpleasant predicament, and one which in the 

 event of the tide falling lower, might be attended with 

 danger. She was battened down and every precaution 

 observed in case of slipping from her hard bed ; shortly 

 after midnight she righted, and by dawn, preparations 

 commenced for moving down the river. It was my 

 intention to warp the ship against the last quarter flood, 

 through the narrow pass where the rocks bar the mid- 

 channel, but the delays occasioned by grounding the 

 previous evening, prevented our reaching the spot until 

 slack water; indeed, the tide of ebb had made, and 

 our kedges for dropping through were already laid with 

 strain on them. An eddy tide, or under tow, having 

 laid the ship athwart the river, with her stern towards 

 the rocks, orders were given to drop one of the heavy 

 quarter kedges in shore, but, unfortunately, the proper 

 officer was not in the boat, and the youngster, finding 

 the ' Royalist' in his way, waited to let her pass instead 

 of dashing athwart her bows. No time was to be lost, 

 and the kedge was ordered to be instantly let go where 

 he was ; alas ! it was now too late, the bow hawsers had 

 stretched, and the tide pressing the ship towards the reef, 

 caused her to ground by the heel on a projecting rock, 

 the leads giving not less than four fathoms all around. 

 The strength of the ebb now came full upon us, and the 

 ship turning upon the pivot formed by the rock under 

 her heel, stretched the hawsers and, finally, brought 

 home the anchors ; she then lay with head down the 

 stream until she bedded herself in the line of current 

 upon the inclined side of the reef, having six fathoms on 



