WRECKS. 351 



dense the jottings as much as you please, but take 

 nothing from the opinions expressed of your people. 



But to my task. The initiatory of that voyage, so 

 replete with perils and which had such a disastrous 

 ending, was during the last days of the year 1845. 

 Under doubled-reefed topsails and reefed courses, 

 with a strong gale from the southwest, we cast oif the 

 hawsers of the ship " Earl of Eglinton," and pro- 

 ceeded with a pilot down the Mersey on a voyage to 

 the East Indies, via Boston. In less than two hours 

 under reefed topsails we discharged our pilot at the 

 mouth of the river, with the sombre prospect of thick 

 weather and increasing gale, accompanied by an ugly 

 sea. We beat about Liverpool Bay for three days, and 

 like the venerable St. Paul, saw neither moon nor stars 

 for many days. However, with a stanch ship and an 

 outfit which lacked nothing, we managed to find our 

 way in due season to the Atlantic Ocean. From that 

 time till the 13th of March we experienced nothing 

 but a continuation of fierce gales and very ugly and 

 overwhelming seas; the which, whilst we were kept in 

 tormenting suspense, only caused some loss in sails 

 and bulwarks. The ship, however, was stanch and 

 tight, with a strong and willing crew. 



During a temporary lull on that day, I noticed with 

 much satisfaction from the general appearance that all 

 her laboring had not disturbed any of her compact 

 proportions. 



Taking observations in the evening, verifying at 

 night, we determined our position from Cape Cod, and 

 so shaped our course; but with the traditional fear 

 that English navigators have of Nantucket Shoals, I 



