188 DANGEROUS SITUATION. [1846. 



advantage being gained by night, when the breeze is 

 usually stronger, and favours, by blowing off shore. Im- 

 mediately after weighing, and directing her to be steered 

 N.E., that being the opposite course to that by which 

 she entered, she struck, and remained fixed. All efforts 

 to move her that night were ineffectual, but as I well knew 

 that force must yield to stratagem, I let her He quietly 

 in the bed she had settled in, until daylight, when we 

 found her completely hampered in every direction by 

 rocks, rising in many spots nearly to the water's edge, 

 any exertion of force would have injured her. How she 

 could have reached this position, unseen during the day, 

 and in so short a period, was incomprehensible. Yet 

 there she was, and our attention had now to be directed 

 to discover where she entered, and how she was to be 

 extricated. My thoughts instantly reverted to the wreck 

 of H.M.S. 'Alceste 5 but a few miles from this spot. 

 But we were more fortunate, not only had we a better 

 bed, but a very convenient little island within musket 

 shot, and no chance of losing any article of provision 

 or ammunition. The very transparency of the water, 

 and the perfect clearness with which every object was 

 visible, was, in itself, delusive, furnishing no guide to 

 the depth, which was only to be discovered by probing 

 with a pole. By 4 o'clock that evening, the necessary 

 arrangements were made. The guns were put into the 

 remaining barge (one barge and two gigs, with other 

 stores, being left behind at Singapore for the squadron) 

 and the spare chain cables paid overboard. It was origi- 

 nally intended to land the guns upon the steep part of 

 the reef projecting from the island, and to recover them 



