^80 
BOTHER'EM BAY 
the bay, and by the narrow passage, which Mr. Hardy examined in 
going in the cutter to Suakin. His Marate and Shaback may be 
sought for in vain, among the windings and mazes of this singular 
harbour, which presents on the chart such a mass of confusion, that 
at my particular request Captain Court called it Bother em Bay. 
The weather was fine, the wind light, and the sea as smooth as 
glass: we had eight, nine, and ten fathom till we got into the 
channel by which we had entered, at about three o'clock, and soon 
afterwards we came to an anchor. 
February 7.— -We weighed anchor about six, with a favourable 
wind to quit the straits, but directly contrary when we had to bear 
up for Suakin. We continued to tack till three o'clock, when we 
came to an anchor about four miles E. by N. of Ras Howie, in eleven 
fathoms, mud and sand: we did this from the goodness of the 
bottom, lest we should be obliged to let go in a worse, for the wind 
was fresh, v/ith a considerable degree of swell. We had overfalls 
during the day, but never less than five fathom. It rained in the 
evening. 
February 8. — It blew so fresh, with rain, that we could not 
attempt to stir, the wind being right in our teeth. Mr. Maxfield 's 
cable parted ; we sent our cutter to heave the anchor by the buoy, 
but the rope was so rotten that it immediately broke. He let go two 
small anchors, but they would not hold; we were therefore obliged 
to give him a hawser, and let him hang to our stern. It moderated 
in the afternoon, after several heavy showers, when the swell went 
gradually down, till at night it was perfectly calm. 
February 9. — It was nearly calm, but we weighed at daylight in 
hopes of a fair wind. It freshened gradually till one, when we 
