210 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
information as to the trend of the land round 
Feb. 14. the point, which still appeared to extend to the 
southward ; they had not been able to land, but 
had encountered much danger from the small 
size of the boat, which shipped a great deal of 
water, so that by the time it arrived they were 
completely drenched with the spray of the sea. 
They had only observed our signals for a few 
minutes before their arrival; for the flashes of 
the guns and the lights of the port-fires were so 
confused with lightning and the fires of the na- 
tives on the shore, that they could not be dis- 
tinguished from each other. Soon after they 
arrived on board, heavy rain commenced, and 
fell during the greater part of the night. 
15. The ensuing day the weather was still squally 
and unsettled. In the afternoon the launch and 
another boat were sent in search of our lost 
anchor, but returned at night without success; 
for the tide was so strong that the buoy did not 
watch. The next morning it was again intended 
to resume the search, but the weather clouded 
in, and threatened to be so bad that all further 
attempts were abandoned. 
This succession of bad weather, and our having 
only one anchor left, made me feel the necessity 
of leaving this part, and giving up for the present 
the examination of this interesting place; and 
