'■ $: for thcy were frequently flopped by high fteep bluff points
w hK h th e y weremhliged to lw im round at a ponfiderable
diftance, for i f they had nor taken a pompafs, they would
have been dallied, to pieces againft the rocks by the Vfturf,
and as it was, they were every moment in danger of being
devoured by a Ihark, About ten o’clock in-the morning,:
however, they reached theftents, almoft periflied with hunger
and cold, and were received with equal furprife and joy
by their fliip-mates, who immediately fhared with, them
fuch provifions and clothes as they had. When they came
on board, I gave ordérs that they ihould have fuch réfrelh-
ments as were proper, and remain in their hammocks the
whole night. The next day they were as hearty as i f nothing
had happened, nor did they fuffer any farther inconvenience
from the accident. Thefe were- three o f .the honeft
fellows who hadvfwum naked from the Ihip at thejfland.of
Madeira tq get a Ikinful o f liquor, • I now return to my nar-
rativ.e in the order jDf time.,
Monday.,8. ; On the . i 8 th, the weather was moderate, and in the,evening
we were within half a mile o f the anchoring ground
from which we had been driven ; but the wind fuddenly
fading, and a current making againft W,' we couid not
■ reach it:.we to ol advantage however o f being fo near the
waterer’s tent to fend a boat on Ihore to enquire, after the
•three men whole adventure has been juft related,, and foon
•after Ihe brought them on board. The carpenters were all
this time employed in making a new mizen-gaff, out o f a
gib-boom, and in the mean while we were obliged to make
Ihift with the old one, keeping the fail balanced. It conti-
Tuefday ig. nued a ftark calm all the night, fo that in the morning we
found the current and the fwell had driven us no lefs than
nine miles from the land | the weather however being good,
Ifent
i fent the cutter for a load of water, which Ihe brought on 1-67.
board about one o’clock. Soon after a breeze fprung up at . _.
N. N. W. and as we now approached the land very fall, I fent Tac('iay ’»•'
the boat on Ihore again for water; it happened however
that before we could reach our anchoring-ground, it again
fell calm, and we were again kept off by the current: the
boat in the mean time, as Ihe rowed along the Ihore, caught
as much filh with hook and line as ferved all the fhip’s
company, which was lome alleviation of our difappointment.
At eight o’clock in the evening, it began again to blow
hard with hidden fqualls, fo that we paffed another toil-
fome and dangerous night. In the morning, having a ftiff w cd„er. 20.
gale at N. W. we made towards our anchoring ground with
all the fail we could fpread, and happily regained it about
four o’clock in the afternoon, when we anchored, at two
cables’ length from the beach, in eighteen fathom, with a
bottom o f fine fand, and moored with a fmall anchor in
Ihore. By the time the Ihip was properly fecured, it was too
late to proceed with our watering; the long-boat however
was fent along the Ihore to filh, and though before feven
o’clock it blew fo hard that Ihe was obliged to return, Ihe
brought filh enough on board to fferve all the people. In the
night we had foul weather, with hard fqualls and much
rain; and in the morning, the wind blowing with great Thur
violence along the Ihore, we frequently drove, though we
had not lefs^than two hundred fathom o f cable o u t; for the
bank is a loofe fine fand that eafily gives way. We rode out
the ftorm however without damage, but the rain was fo violent,
and the fea ran fo high, that nothing could be done
with the boats, which was the more mortifying as it was
for the fake o f completing our watering that we had endured
almoft inceffant labour for five days and nights to regain
the fituation in which we now lay. About eight in the
Vol. I. U u evening,