228 LOSS OF A SPANISH FRIGATE. 
prevail on those coasts caused us to lose more way in an 
hour than we had made in six. As soon as the dawn of day 
began to appear, the man at the mast-head cried out, with de- 
monstrations of joy, " land ! land !" but when it was light, this 
land was discovered to be the point of Borica, which we left 
at the beginning of the night, and this circumstance caused 
us the greatest mortification. 
However, unable to redress this misfortune, we endeavored 
to divert our thoughts from it, by employing ourselves in va- 
rious ways; some in fishing, others in reading, and others 
again amused themselves with bathing in the sea. In this si- 
tuation we passed the greatest part of the time in conversing 
on our common misfortune, sometimes deploring it beyond 
measure, and sometimes unable to refrain from laughing at it. 
Our provisions were consumed during this long calm; we 
were therefore necessitated to go on shore for the third time. 
I was of opinion that we should return to Panama, but the 
pilot and seamen declaring that with a wind the least favora- 
ble we should arrive in four or five days at Caldera, I at 
length yielded to their persuasion ; therefore, put the ship 
about, and returned for a fresh supply of provisions to the 
mouth of the Chiriqui. We took on board a larger quantity 
than before, and again set sail ; and after a passage of eight 
days, came in sight of the island del Cagno. Some of the crew 
now flattered themselves that in two days we should reach the 
wished-for port of Caldera. 
But men are liable to be mistaken in their judgments. The 
weather, that had been clear and serene, suddenly changed. 
The sun had just set when the pilot ordered the sails to be 
lowered, apprehensive of a tempest, which was threatened by 
a small cloud that approached us. It no sooner became ver- 
tical than it spread in every direction, and poured down upon 
the frigate torrents of rain, accompanied with such tremen- 
dous thunder and lightning as to strike terror into the most 
intrepid. There was a mixture of light and darkness, which, 
though it filled us with horror, was, however, of considerable 
assistance; for the lightning, by which we were on all sides 
surrounded, afforded us light to work the ship. Our efforts 
were of little avail ; we became exhausted, and came to the 
resolution of suffering our wretched vessel to drive at the will 
of the wind and waves. 
At length at the return of the day the storm abated; but 
as the sky was still overcast with the same cloud, we could not 
promise ourselves fair weather. The pilot endeavored to find 
