AFRICA. 245 
the fea, counteraded in fome meafure the cur- 
rent, and retarded our deftrudion : but, at the 
fame time, it excited waves that prevented us 
from advancing to our deftination, and which 
belides fo continually covered us with water, 
that we were every inftant hid from each 
other. 
By an inconvenience alfo which it was not 
pofhble to have forefeen, and w^hich woulcj 
now admit of no remedy, the trunk, which had 
hitherto continued fteadily in its horizontal 
pofition, could no longer be kept in it by any 
effort. Sometimes it preffed with violence 
upon the fwimmers that conducted it, and ren- 
dered it impolTible to preferve the thongs at 
their full extent, or to derive any advantage 
from them. Sometimes it was urged with 
equal force in the oppofite dire£tion; in which 
cafe it hung with irrefiftible weight upon 
the thongs, pulling back the guides, and fhak- 
ing them completely oqt of their courfe. But, 
what was worfe, it often funk entirely under 
water at one end, while the other was raifed to 
a fituation nearly vertical* In this pofture, the 
afTiftance of tlie fwimmers behind was rendered 
ufelefs] and I faw myfelf, in fpite of all my 
R 3 Hottea- 
