DANGER OF THE BAR. 65 



merited it for the sake of my copartners in equip- 

 ping the expedition, for I was well aware that 

 their interests would suffer in consequence. 



At daylight of the 19th I sent the mate on 

 board of the Columbine to get her launch hoisted 

 out and loaded with coals for us. At noon he 

 returned, and we immediately got up steam and 

 towed the Columbine over the bar, on which were 

 two fathoms and three-quarters at quarter-flood. 

 Her long boat, which she had in tow astern, carried 

 away her painter and was swamped in the surf. 

 As the recovery of this boat was necessary in 

 consequence of her great importance to us, I 

 manned two boats and sent them after her, and 

 after anchoring the brig in the river, went out 

 after them in the Quorra, as the ebb-tide was now 

 running furiously and drifting them on the lee- 

 breakers. Fortunately we got hold of them all, 

 but not before we had found ourselves in one 

 and three-quarters fathom water. The tide was 

 so strong that we could only stem it by the united 

 power of steam and canvass, and even then were 

 three hours in making good a distance of three 

 miles. The sea on these bars is frightful while 

 the ebb-tide is running. In going in we were 

 pooped twice ; but fortunately the boat was well 



VOL. I. P 



