C s ) 



by the incefiant tempeftuous weather, 

 and fea impradlicable for boats. In a 

 few days he returned, and fupplied the 

 lofs of the mizen-maft by a lower ftud- 

 ding-fail boom ; but this expedient, to- 

 gether with the patching up of our rig- 

 ging, was a poor temporary relief to us. 

 We were foon obliged to cut away our 

 beft bower anchor to eafe the fore-maft, 

 the flirouds and chain-plates of which 

 were all broken, and the fliip in all 

 parts in a moft crazy condition. 



Thus fhattered and difabled, a fingle 

 fhip (for we had now loft light of our 

 fquadron) we had the additional mortifica- 

 tion to find ourfelves bearing for the land 

 on alee-fhorej having thus far perfevered 

 in the courfe we held, from an error in 

 conjefture: for the weather was unfavour- 

 able for obfervation, and there are no 

 charts of that part of the coaft. When 

 thofe officers who firft perceived their 

 miftake, endeavoured to perfuade the 



B 3 captain 



