1830. 



LOSS OF THE THETIS. 



71 



Presuming that the Thetis was carried out of her supposed 

 position, by the former cause, about twenty-four miles ; surely 

 rather more than a mile an hour is no surprising current during 

 nineteen hours. But if a stream of tide also affected her, in 

 that time she would have had one whole tide either in her 

 favour or against her. 



There was no reason to suspect the existence of much cur- 

 rent near Cape Frio, when the Thetis was lost, except on such 

 general grounds as those just mentioned, because no pilot, as 

 far as I know, was aware of such a fact. With strong southerly 

 winds ships of large size do not often leave Rio de Janeiro — 

 coasting vessels never — therefore few persons could have expe- 

 rienced its effect when sailing from the port ; and when 

 approaching Rio in similar weather, vessels sail before a fair 

 wind, steer by sight of the land, and take little notice of the 

 log : besides which, they then employ but three or four hours 

 in passing through that space of sea where the Thetis was 

 detained nineteen. 



In all probability, such a current as that which drove the 

 Thetis on the rocks is only to be found during southerly winds, 

 and in the summer season of that climate, when the general set 

 of the current is along the coast, towards the south and west. 



If a man of war is accidentally lost, a degree of asto- 

 nishment is expressed at the unexpected fate of a fine ship, 

 well found, well manned, and well officered ; and blame is 

 imputed to some one : but before admitting a hastily-formed 

 opinion as fact, much inquiry is necessary. As in the case 

 of the Thetis, an English man-of-war may incur risk in con- 

 sequence of a praiseworthy zeal to avoid delaying in port, 

 as a merchant-ship would probably be obliged to do, from her 

 being unable to beat out against an adverse wind, and, like 

 that frigate, may be the first to prove the existence of an 

 unsuspected danger. 



Those who never run any risk ; who sail only when the wind 

 is fair ; who heave to when approaching land, though perhaps 

 a day'^s sail distant ; and who even delay the performance of 

 iirgent duties until tbey can be done easily and quite safely ; arc. 



