THE QUORRA AGROUND. 139 



ing from the bank to a considerable distance. I 

 thought the shock would have been fatal to the 

 vessel ; but she fell off of her own accord, and, 

 finding that she made no water, we proceeded 

 on. Shortly afterwards we ran on a sandbank 

 in attempting to cross the river, and passed the 

 whole day in vainly trying to get off again. 

 We blew off the boilers to lighten the vessel, 

 but to no purpose. Mr. Lander left us and went 

 up to the Alburkah, which was in sight, about 

 six miles distant. 



In the morning of the 23rd, we sent the car- 

 riage-guns, round and canister shot, on shore, — 

 landed the best bower cable, and all the weighty 

 things about the decks : about two p. m. the ves- 

 sel came off, after about twenty-four hours' hard 

 labour. 



Mr. Lander returned from the Alburkah, and 

 informed me that Lieutenant Allen had a severe 

 relapse, and that Captain Hill was better ; but 

 that the carpenter, a fine young man, was 

 dead, being the third man they had lost in 

 the river. 



Christmas Day found most of us gradually 

 recovering. I was gaining strength rapidly, and 

 so was Dr. Briggs. Hector was also better ; but 



