NARROW ESCAPE OF SHIP MARQUIS OF ELY. 353 



sette, Caranja, and Elephanta lie between the shore and 

 the island of Bombay ; and the view all around the har- 

 bour is extremely beautiful. The different islands are 

 thickly wooded, and during the rains exhibit a richness of 

 verdure and foliage which is truly striking. On the main, 

 the land rises in high bold peaks ; and far to the northward 

 is seen a most remarkable isolated conical mountain, called 

 the Queen of Mahratta's Knitting-needle. The celebrated 

 caves of Elephanta are distant only a few miles from the 

 anchorage. 



It is usual when running in to make Kanary, in the south- 

 west monsoon, to allow for a northerly current ; but great 

 care ought to be taken in making this allowance. The 

 honourable company's ship Marquis of Ely, running in to 

 make Kanary in the night, allowed for a set of two miles 

 and a half per hour, and the ship was probably kept to the 

 southward of her course. At daylight land was suddenly 

 discovered close aboard, and before the ship's head could be 

 got round, she was within broken water in six fathoms ; let 

 go all her anchors, and rode for thirty-six hours off Severn- 

 droog in imminent danger, the sea frequently breaking over 

 the forecastle. From this perilous situation escape seemed 

 hopeless, till about noon on the second day, when the wind 

 veered a point or two to the southward, and the tide was 

 observed to set off the shore. It was immediately determined 

 to make sail and cut. It was blowing hard, with frequent 

 squalls and heavy rain. One anchor was hove up with great 

 dilRculty, — the ship lay with her head to the north-west, — 

 the whole crew, together with 300 soldiers, manned the 

 top-sail sheets, fore and main tacks, with the )"ards braced 

 sharp up on the larboard tack. Every thing being ready 

 for this bold attempt, the order was given, — Let fall, sheet 

 home, cut the cable ! In an instant the ship felt the power 

 of the canvass, and started out to seaward through the 

 surf like a hound slipt from the leash. — The honourable 

 company's ship Kellie Castle, from not making sufficient 

 allowance for the northerly set, got to the northward of 

 Malabar Point, and, working to the southward, struck on 

 the outer edge of the south-west Prong, and received much 

 damage. 



The south-west monsoon generally sets in at Bombay 

 about the latter end of Mav or beginning of June ; but 



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