12 
occurred until four P. M. of the 25th, when the ship weighed 
anchor and stood out to sea.] 
Fair wind and good weather continued until the forenoon of 
the 27th. About four o’clock we saw the English coast, being 
the North Foreland, not far from Margate. Here we were oblig¬ 
ed to steer to the left to enter the Channel, in order to reach Ports¬ 
mouth and avoid the dangerous Goodwin Sands . At the same 
time the barometer had fallen, the air was thick and rainy, and 
a disagreeable south-west wind began to blow. The passage 
between these sand-banks was by no means pleasant; the wind 
was quite boisterous and almost stormy; we lost all hope of reach¬ 
ing the Channel during this day, and were forced to be content with 
beating about in our perilous situation. The motion of the ship 
became very vehement towards evening, and I became sea-sick; 
it was not so bad while I remained motionless in my cot. Dur¬ 
ing the night the ship was in a very dangerous situation, and 
Captain Ryk remained all thetime on deck. The lead wasregularly 
thrown during the night. In attempting to get into my cot, which 
was very much inclined, and the ship giving a heavy lurch at 
the same time, I received a heavy fall on my head, which, how¬ 
ever, was not productive of much injury. On the morning of the 
28th the wind was somewhat lighter, and we discovered that 
during the night we had been in a situation of extreme danger, 
and had reason to be thankful to the great Creator for our safety. 
The weather gradually cleared up, and we enjoyed with great 
satisfaction the noble prospect of the English coast. Immediately 
ahead lay Margate with the southern shore of the Thames; far¬ 
ther to the left, Ramsgate, and still farther, Deal. We were 
moreover surrounded by shipping, and in the Downs we saw the 
English ship of the line, Ramilies, which cruised this year on this 
station, lying at anchor. 
The wind was now westerly, and our commander having no 
wish to pass another night as dangerously as the preceding, re¬ 
solved to cast anchor in the Downs. This determination led me to 
think of landing at Deal, going to London for a day, and then 
returning to Portsmouth. In the course of the day, however, an 
east wind sprung up, which changed all our resolutions. We 
passed the cape of South Foreland, and entered the Channel 
prosperously, where we saw the high chalk rock between 
Deal and Dover, with several castles, and Dover itself, with 
its ancient and strong castle, near the ruins, &c. We were 
also delighted with a beautiful view of the French coast, the 
white rocks of which were illumined by the sun. The wind, as 
we passed by Dover, was very light, the current was against us, 
and during the night it rained and blew. The anchor was conse¬ 
quently dropped, and we remained off Dover till one o’clock the 
