50 LOSS OP INSTRUMENTS. [1845 



out-lying dangers, consisting of rocks and islets, not 

 coming within their knowledge or power of placing, were 

 found to be more numerous than we had anticipated, and 

 afforded us much uneasiness during the thick rainy night 

 which ensued. Dawn only assured us that had we been 

 visited by northerly gale, we might have stood a very 

 fair chance of wreck upon the dangers which studded our 

 path, and have sought a renewal of friendship at Nanga- 

 saki earlier than we had anticipated. 



" The sweet little cherub that sits up aloft " 



had, however, kept a bright eye on the c Samarang ', and 

 she was now quietly threading her way to a safe offing. 



It now became our object to make the shortest run for 

 Loo-Choo, both on account of Chronometers, as well as 

 provisions, but calms and variables, added to the dis- 

 covery of islands not on our charts, rendered our unwil- 

 ling detention interesting. On the 13th of August we 

 landed upon one of these terra incognita;, and effected a 

 tolerable survey, by despatching the master and second 

 master to two others. On the 14th a similar course was 

 pursued, but, unfortunately, at the moment of embarkation 

 an accident happened which caused me considerable un- 

 easiness; the coxswain, anxious for my comfort and 

 safety, had so placed himself between the rocks and the 

 gig, that the receding swell jammed him between her 

 stern and the rocks, and the wave falling lower than 

 usual, caused our boat to upset and fill. Every instru- 

 ment but the Chronometer, then in my hands, was lost, 

 including all the pets, public as well as private ; thus, 

 at one blow, almost paralysing future exertions; cer- 



