LOSS OF A SPANISH FRIGATE. 227 
of the sea, drove us on a coast so lined with rocks, that if we 
had been carried a musket shot farther, the vessel must ine- 
vitably have been dashed into a thousand pieces, and we 
should all have perished, as there was no beach upon which 
we could have gained the land. To escape such imminent 
danger we hoisted out the cutter with all possible expedition, 
and endeavored to tow the frigate out to sea by the assistance 
of eight of our stoutest rowers. We labored with such dili- 
gence and success, that we accomplished our purpose. The 
tempest, and the efforts we had made to extricate ourselves 
from this perilous situation, had greatly fatigued us, and we 
were seized with such a listlessness, that about midnight, 
owing to the bad look-out that was kept, the ship got among 
the rocks, against one of which she struck with such violence 
that all the larboard ports were broken to pieces. 
At the noise of the crash we gave ourselves up for lost, 
conceiving, as we well might, that the keel had struck ; nor 
could we immediately ascertain the extent of the calamity, 
because it was so dark that we could not see. The supposi- 
tion Ave had formed caused us to pass the remainder of the 
night in the utmost inquietude, though the storm had abated. 
Fortunately, when daylight came, we found that our terrors 
had been greater than the injury we had received. The wind 
.hen appearing favorable, I ordered the sails to be set ; but it 
did not long continue, for, during the four following days it 
changed more than six times. At length, after being beaten 
about from one side to the other, we found ourselves again at 
the mouth of the same river where v/e had taken in our fresh 
suppl}/" of provisions. 
The passengers were not so much vexed as they would 
have been on any other occasion, for they had exhausted their 
provisions, and had lived for three days on the small portion 
which I had assigned them of mine. We were therefore 
obliged to land a second time. For fear of being again expos- 
ed to the like inconvenience, they laid in a stock sufficient for 
a fortnight, and purchased a quantity of plantain fruit, which 
are excellent eating when ripe. For my part I again took 
provisions for a month, choosing rather to have some left than 
'0 run the risk of being in want of them. 
We now set sail again, and proceeded as far as the Cape 
of Borica, when we were overtaken by a calm that detamed 
us at that place twenty-two days. It lasted from break of 
day till sunset, and then a light breeze springing up, we con- 
tinued OUT course all night ; but the contrary currents that 
