66 



SQUALLS SOUNDINGS CAPE FRIO, 



vicinity any connection with the fact ? Thinking myself that 

 they have, I would beg the reader to bear this idea in mind, 

 when, at another part of this narrative, the squalls so fre- 

 quent in the dangerous archipelago of the low islands are 

 mentioned.^ 



March SOth. W e sailed and sounded in various directions, 

 but such irregular depths I never found elsewhere. Sudden 

 jumps, from thirty to ten, sometimes even to four fathoms, 

 in successive casts of the hand-lead, gave us frequent alarm ; 

 but by keeping a boat a-head, and two leads going briskly, we 

 avoided danger, and giving up exploring, regained before dark 

 the safe channel which runs north and south between the 

 Abrolhos and the main land, and steered to pass near Cape 

 San Tome, or St. Thomas. Next day we were off' that cape, 

 but saw none of the breakers which have been so frequently 

 reported to lie at a dangerous distance from the neighbouring 

 shore; although we looked out for them, and steered so as to 

 pass the places where I was informed they would be seen. 



On the 3d of April, we passed Cape Frio. I wished to 

 visit the cove in which the Lightning and Algerine lay, while 

 recovering the treasure sunk in the unfortunate Thetis, but 

 circumstances were unfavourable. 



* The Bermuda Islands (" still vexed Bermoothes") may also be 

 thought of, as being similarly circumstanced. 



