4 
APPROACH TO 
14—16 Nov. 
We continued till evening frequently tacking and working our 
way slowly towards Table Bay, where we hoped to cast anchor in the 
course of the night. The moon had just risen, glittering on the tops 
of the waves, and, casting its light on the projecting crags of the 
mountains, spread a beauty and solemnity over the scene, that 
heightened the effect of every occurrence. At this time we were 
abreast of Green Point at the entrance of the bay. 
The moment we had passed beyond the shelter of the Lion 
Mountain, a furious wind suddenly and unexpectedly assailed the 
vessel ; pouring out of the clouds, as it seemed, its boisterous fury 
upon us. A poetic imagination would certainly have fancied that 
the skins given by GEolus to Ulysses, had been carried to the top of 
Table Mountain, and there all cut open at once. 
The vessel was rapidly driving out to sea again : in the utmost 
hurry the sailors flew up the rigging, and took in all sail possible. 
We strove to beat into the bay, but a whole hour's struggling against 
the storm proved all in vain ; and the fore top-sail being split, we 
were compelled to wear the ship, and retreat to the shelter of the 
Lion Mountain to bend another sail. 
Towards morning we made a second attempt, but were repulsed 
by a wind more furious than before ; so that we considered ourselves 
fortunate in being able to regain our former shelter. Here we con- 
tinued the whole of this and the following day, standing off and on 
within the lee of the Lion Mountain, experiencing alternate calms 
and gales ; at one moment the ship rolling in a dead calm, and at the 
next, if we happened to exceed the limit of our shelter, running with 
the gunnel under water, through waves whose tops were blown away 
in spray by the fury of the south-easter : yet the weather appeared 
fine and the sky cloudless. 
We often approached to within half a mile of the shore, where 
with a glass we could discern people at work, and dust driven up in 
clouds. Some spots appeared of a beautiful purple and others of a 
yellow colour, occasioned most probably by the abundance of flowers. 
So tantalizing a view, after a protracted and tedious voyage, would 
have induced me to attempt a landing almost at any rate ; but the 
