450 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1820. alacrity, that the sails were kept full ; so that by 
Dec. 4: her not losing way, she cleared the rock before 
the succeeding wave flowed from under her, and 
the next moment a flash of lightning shewed to 
our almost unbelieving eyes that we had passed 
the extremity of the rocks and were in safety ! This 
sudden deliverance from the brink of destruction 
was quite unexpected by all on board our little 
vessel, and drew from us a spontaneous acknow- 
ledgement of gratitude to the only source from 
whence our providential escape could be attri- 
buted. 
It was now doubtful whether we could clear 
the point under our lee which we first saw, but 
as the next flash of lightning shewed that we 
were between the heads of Botany Bay, and 
that the point on which we had nearly been 
wrecked was, according to Captain Hunter’s 
plan, Cape Banks, its northern head, we bore 
up, and, in half an hour, were safe at anchor. 
Daylight now broke, and with it the weather 
began to get worse, so that we were obliged to 
remain at this anchorage, which was on the 
south side of the bay near Point Sutherland, 
until the next morning ; when we got under sail, 
and anchored near the opposite shore, under the 
guard-house, from which the soldiers supplied 
us with some refreshments. 
