ALEXANDRIA TO COS. 4I5 
north-ivest, that our frequent endeavours to char 
reach the Turkish squadron proved ineffectual. , 
During one of these attempts, the crew being 
quite exhausted with rowing, and a considerable 
swell meeting the boat from the north-ivest, we 
put about, and hoisted sail. In this manner we 
were carried, unawares, so much to the leeward, 
that we soon found ourselves approaching the 
surf. The first symptom we had of this was in 
a wave which broke over our boat, A djerniy 
whose course we had imprudently followed, 
stood nearer in towards the shore, and gave 
us notice of our danger, by being stranded in 
view of us. These accidents happen so fre- 
quently to the Arabs, that they are under very 
little alarm when they occur. It was the second 
instance we had witnessed of the same nature'. 
The crew of the djerm were presently seen 
swimming towards the shore, having abandoned 
their boat, and its cargo, in the midst of the 
surf. We saw them all reach the land in per- 
fect safety. In the mean time, having strained 
every sinew, by dint of hard and continued 
exertions with our oars, we succeeded at last 
in extricating ourselves from this perilous 
(1) See Chap. I. p. 34. of this Volume. 
