74 wickham's river. 



across the bay before a strong breeze from the S.E. 

 We made the breakers soon after sunrise, nearly 

 opposite Entrance Hill, and ran down to the north- 

 ward just outside of them, looking out for the open- 

 ing of the river. The shore was very low and 

 the breakers lofty, and compelled us to keep so 

 far out that we could only now and then catch a 

 sight of the tops of the mangrove bushes. Twice 

 we attempted to run in, but the rollers were so very 

 heavy that we hauled out to look for a better spot. 

 At last, however, we saw some sand cliffs, which we 

 believed to be on the north point of the river, and 

 then determined to run in. The first roller we 

 surmounted was in about three and a half fathoms. 

 It was very large, and as we rose on to it, it hurried 

 us on with great rapidity, boiling and curling round 

 us, and requiring a steady attention to the helm and 

 sail to prevent its overwhelming us. Once within 

 the influence of these rollers, there was no retreat- 

 ing, and nothing for it but a straight onward course ; 

 and we passed over a succession of similar breakers 

 for nearly two miles, the water becoming gradually 

 shoaler, and the waves less lofty but more frequent 

 and broken, so that we took in much water. We 

 had shoaled our water to five feet, when we sud- 

 denly saw we were running straight for a smooth 

 beach of sand, and that we had come two or 

 three hundred yards too far to leeward, so 

 watching our opportunity we let go the anchor, 

 swung round, head to sea, got down the mast and 



