40 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
3821. The next morning, at daylight, Cassini Island 
July 33. was seen bearing S.b.W. ; here we were de- 
tained for two days by light baffling winds and 
calms: during the night of the 14th, the wind 
was light from the westward, and we stood off 
and on to the north of Cassini Island. 
15. At half-past one o’clock a.m., having sounded 
in thirty-three fathoms, we shoaled suddenly to 
fourteen, when the vessePs head was put to 
the southward, but the breeze was so very light, 
that she had hardly steerage way : by the light 
of the moon a line of breakers was seen two 
miles off, under our lee: we had now shoaled 
to nine fathoms on a rocky bottom, but its 
great irregularity prevented our dropping the 
anchor until the last minute, since it would have 
been to the certain loss of the only one we had. 
In order, therefore, to save it, if possible, the 
boat was lowered, and sent to sound between the 
vessel and the breakers. Finding we made no 
progress off the reef by standing to the south- 
ward, we tacked ; and, a light breeze springing 
up from the westward, we drew off the bank on 
a north-west course, and, in the space of a mile 
and a half, deepened the water gradually to 
thirty fathoms. 
16 . The next morning, at a quarter past eight 
o’clock, the breakers were again seen; they 
