[ 376 1 
ftruggling to fecure themfelves and boats, as much 
as their aftonifliment would permit, than their boats 
were hurried back again through the gap or mouth 
of the pier with incredible velocity : when they had 
gone off as far as the reflux determined, they were 
carried in, and out again, with an impetuofity, which 
no ropes could withftand, and would have deflroyed 
both men and boats immediately, if in their paffage 
they had touched the lead; flone of the pier. As 
you know the place, Sir, you will eafily recoiled, that 
what preferved them was not the rudder, or the oar, 
but the fame ftream and current, which put them 
in danger ; for it had neither in or out-let but thro’ 
that narrow gap, and therefore fet diredly in, and 
.out. At Penzance there was no damage, nor, what 
is more extraordinary, at Newlyn, where their boats 
are much more numerous. What preferved them all 
(under Providence) was, 'that this rage of the water 
happened a little after noon, when the men were ajl 
at leifure to attend their boats : if it had come on up- 
on them in the night, it is thought not one boat out 
of fifty would have been faved, and confequently 
many lives lofl. 
In Guanas lake, the Happy ketch of war veer’d 
round upon her anchors, keeping her head by turns 
to the flux and reflux, and in the decline of the com- 
motion hove the log to eftimate the velocity of the 
water, and found it to run at the rate of feven miles 
in an hour. No motion of the land was any- where 
perceived, as far as I can learn. 
I have no account of this agitation yet from Scilly, 
but it was perceived at the Land’s end ; and in the 
north chanel, at the pier of St. Ives, it rofe betwixt 
eight 
