NO APPEARANCE OF LAND. 33 



came on to blow half a gale of wind; she shipped 

 so much water that it kept us constantly baling. 

 Never shall I forget how anxiously we all looked 

 for daylight^ for we scarcely knew where the 

 tide had swept us. At length it dawned upon ten 

 as uncomfortable beings as can well be imagined ; 

 miserable and wet through to the skin^ cramped 

 up in an open boat^ out of sight of land^ without 

 knowing- where we had drifted;, blowing already 

 half a gale^ with every appearance of its increas - 

 ing to a severe one ; it was half past eight, and 

 no appearance of land. Almost despairing, we 

 were going to bear away, when, to our great joy, 

 we perceived the ships laying in the outer roads, 

 and soon after saw the town of Buenos Ayres. 

 On going in we were fired at, and brought to, 

 by one of Admiral Brown's guard-vessels, and 

 landed at Buenos Ayres about ten. No per- 

 son can imagine with what a sensation of joy 

 I stripped myself of my filthy clothes, which had 

 not been off my back for eight days, and literally 



I) 



