MALTA AND SICILY. 
31 
I wish that no worse misfortune than the 
loss of a hat had befallen us off this unlucky 
Cape, but we had scarcely passed it, when 
the accident happened which, as I have in- 
formed you at the beginning of this letter, 
has obliged us to put back to this port 
(Gibraltar) to repair our damages. 
About twelve o’clock, as several of our 
company were seated round the table in the 
cabin, we heard loud voices, and a running 
to and fro over head. Fearing that a man 
had fallen overboard, we hastened on deck, 
and here the cause of the alarm was appa¬ 
rent. Notwithstanding the gloom of a cloudy 
midnight, we could see a large brig, not fifty 
yards off, running down before the wind di¬ 
rectly upon us; and though the officer of the 
watch and others were hailing her with all 
their might, she continued her course, as if 
determined upon our destruction. And now 
