4} JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



anchorage, cast a damp on our party at this 

 early period of the voyage. Emboldened 

 by the decided appearance of the N.W. 

 sky, several of our officers and passengers 

 ventured on shore for a few hours ; but we 

 had not been long in the town before the 

 wind changed suddenly to S.E., which 

 caused instant motion in the large fleet col- 

 lected at this anchorage. The commander 

 of our ship intimated his intention of pro- 

 ceeding to sea by firing guns, and the pas- 

 sengers hastened to embark. Mr. Back, 

 however, had unfortunately gone upon some 

 business to a house two or three miles dis- 

 tant from Yarmouth, along the line of the 

 coast ; from whence he expected to be able 

 to observe the first symptoms of moving, 

 which the vessels might make. By some 

 accident, however, he did not make his ap- 

 pearance before the captain was obliged to 

 make sail, that he might get the ships 

 through the intricate passage of the Cockle 

 Gat before it was dark. Fortunately, 

 through the kindness of Lieutenant Hewit, 

 of the Protector, I was enabled to convey 



