1^8 SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
i$22. Happily, however, the stream of the tide 
Feb. 8 . swept us past the rocks without accident, and, 
after carrying us about half a mile ferther, changed 
its direction to south-east, and drifted us towards 
a narrow strait, separating two rocky islands, in 
the centre of which was a large insulated rock 
that seemed to divide the stream. The boat was 
now hoisted out and sent a-head to tow, but we 
could not succeed in getting the vessel’s head 
round. As she approached the strait, the chan- 
nel became much narrower, and several islands 
were passed, at not more than thirty yards 
from her course. The voices of natives were 
now heard, and soon afterwards some were 
seen on either side of the strait, hallooing and 
waving their arms ; we were so near to one 
party, that they might have thrown their spears 
on board ; they had a dog with them, which 
Mr. Cunningham remarked to be black. By 
this time, we were flying past the shore with 
such velocity, that it made us quite giddy ; and 
our situation was too awful to give us time to 
observe the motions of the Indians ; for we were 
entering the narrowest part of the strait, and the 
next moment were close to the rock, which it ap- 
peared to be almost impossible to avoid ; and 
it was more than probable that the stream it 
divided would carry us broadside upon it, when 
