130 LOSS OF AN ENGLISH SLOOP. 
land. The coast to that place appeared to form such a con- 
tinued chain of steep rocks that it was impossible to attempt 
a landing before we had doubled the distant cape. It would, 
however, have been dangerous to risk so long a course. The 
boat had sprung a leak, and two men Avere constantly em- 
ployed in bailing out the water, so that we could use but two 
oars ; and the enfeebled state to which we were reduced by 
disappointment and the want of food, scarcely allowed us to 
support that slight exertion. What was to become of us if the 
wind should turn to the northwest? We must infallibly be 
dashed to pieces against the rocks. 
Fortunately the danger was no longer an object worthy of 
our consideration, and the wind seconded our perseverance so 
well, that we arrived at the cape about eleven o'clock at night. 
The place not being convenient for a landing, we were obliged 
to coast along till two in the morning, when the wind becom- 
ing more violent deprived us of the liberty of choosing a fa- 
vorable spot ; we were obliged to descend upon, or rather to 
climb, with the utmost difficulty, up a rocky shore, without its ' 
being possible for us to secure'our boat from the waves, which 
threatened her with destruction. 
The place where we had landed was a bay of no great 
depth, surrounded on the land side by inaccessible heights, 
but exposed toward the sea to the northwest wind, from 
w^hich nothing could protect us. The wind, which rose on the 
13th, threw our boat upon a ledge of the rocks and damaged 
her in several places. This accident was but a trifling pre- 
lude to new sufferings. Surrounded by insurmountable rocks, 
which prevented us from seeking shelter in the woods ; with- 
out any other covering than our sail, stiff with ice ; buried 
for several days beneath a deluge of snow, which was heaped 
around us to the height of three feet ; we had nothing to keep 
up our fire but the branches and fragments of trunks of trees, 
thrown by accident upon the shore. This deplorable situa- 
tion lasted till the 21st, when the weather grew milder, but 
we were not able to take advantage of it. How were we to 
repair our boat, which had opened in several places ? After 
reflecting on the various methods that presented themselves 
to our minds, and rejecting them as impracticable, all our 
thoughts were directed to seek our preservation in another 
quarter. 
Though it was impossible to scale the Avails of rocks which 
surrounded us on every side, and Ave Avere under the neces- 
sity of renouncing our boat, it came into our minds that wq 
