56 NAVIGATION DANGEROUS. [1843 



struck on a rock on which we eventually found but 

 twelve feet ; she jumped over it but not without experi- 

 encing a sensible concussion. 



Arrived at length in the open sea, the ' Wanderer ' and 

 ' Diana ' were despatched to Singapore, and accompanied 

 by the ' Harlequin ', ' Vixen ', ' Royalist ', and ' Ariel ', 

 we proceeded on our passage for Borneo Proper. As the 

 charts of the coasts of Borneo could not be relied on, it 

 became necessary to advance with caution. Light airs 

 would not permit the sailing vessels to make much way, I 

 therefore placed myself on board the ' Vixen ' by day, and 

 visited the prominent features of the land, in order to fix 

 their positions. During these operations, nothing worthy 

 of note occurred until the 28th, when having sighted 

 Labuan, situated about fifteen miles to the northward of 

 the entrance of the river of Borneo Proper, the ' Vixen ' 

 was sent a-head in order to secure our anchoring after 

 dark, by showing a light at the anchorage, or warning us 

 by signal of any danger lying in our course. Owing to 

 the currents driving us to the northward, and Great Roos- 

 socan Island intervening, she became eclipsed, and her 

 signals were not perceived by us. After passing over 

 some uneven ground, having as little water as four 

 fathoms, and perceiving breakers between us and the 

 island, I deemed it prudent to drop our anchor in 

 thirteen fathoms, which we afterwards found ' Harlequin ' 

 had done after the first cast of shoal water. At day- 

 light, a large rock was exposed, about ten feet above 

 water, and close under the cabin windows ! The breeze 

 favouring our escape out of this dilemma, we weighed, 

 and towed by 'Vixen ', anchored off the Island of Moarra, 



