THE JOURNAL OF JOHN BISCOE. 335 
could not be less than 17 feet; indeed it was so great that that added to 
the breakers made it extremely difficult to get at the boats. At 12 p.m. 
I observed the Tula laying athwart the tide. The wind having shifted 
to the northward I immediately went on board again, and found her 
clear of the ground, but labouring very heavily by her laying across the 
swell; but on sounding the pumps found she had made no water. I now 
endeavoured to ship the rudder, but from the violence of the sea was 
obliged to secure it again. During the whole of this day the swell con- 
tinued very high, and I sent some provisions on shore to prepare for the 
worst; and as the vessel had drifted a little off shore, I lifted the sheet 
anchor and let it go further in shore, and also let go the stream and 
towline. The vessel now lay in 5 fathoms water, with the wind at 
8.W. and W. 
April 12.—The swell getting up very fast, and the weather showing 
a most threatening appearance, I secured the chronometers in the best 
way I could, and at 2 p.m. went on shore with part of the crew, the 
remainder preferring to go on board the cutter. All this afternoon I 
watched the brig with the greatest anxiety. The cutter also seemed in 
a very dangerous situation. At 5 p.m. I observed the breakers making 
a clean breach over the Tula’s stern, it being then a weather tide. 
April 13.—On the morning of the 13th, the sea being somewhat more 
calm, I went on board again, and found that the vessel, to all appearance, 
had not struck during the night. After several attempts to ship the rudder 
without success, I got it on deck and found all the pintles broken. 
During the whole of this day we were employed fitting heel ropes and 
otherwise getting the rudder in order, and at 4 p.m. of the 14th it was 
ready. At 6 p.m. it was shipped. 
April 15.—On the 15th, wind 8.W. to W.8.W. Having four anchors 
to take up and most of the chains foul, it was late in the afternoon 
before we were fairly under weigh. At 6 p.m. cleared the Start Point. 
Had this misfortune not happened I had still some hopes of making a 
tolerable voyage. But the rudder being in this state renders it absolutely 
necessary to make for some port (the nearest of course) where there is a 
probability of refitting it. Besides this all my boats are much shattered, 
and one five-oared boat entirely lost, with oars, mast, ete. 
April 29.—On the 29th we arrived at Berkeley Sound after a very 
rough passage, the winds hanging much to the N.W. 
