J77°- miles. We had, however, reafon to defpair of deliverance,
< even if the breeze, which had now died away, fhould re-
Thurfday ,6. por we were Rill embayed in the reef; and the tide
of ebb being fpent, the tide of flood, notwithftanding our
utmoft efforts, again drove the fliip into the bight. About
this time, however, we faw another opening, near a mile
to the weftward, which I immediately fent the Firft Lieutenant,
Mr. Hicks, in the fmall boat to examine: in the
mean time we ftruggled hard with the flood, fometimes
gaining a little, and fometimes lofing ; but every man ftill
did his duty, with as much calmnefs and regularity as if no
danger had been near. About two o’clock, Mr. Hicks returned
with an .account that the opening was narrow and
dangerous, but that it might be palled: the poflibility of
palling it was fufficient encouragement to make the attempt,
for all danger was Iefs imminent than that of our prefent
fituation. A light breeze now fprung up at E. N. E. with
which, by the help of our boats, and the very tide of flood
that without an opening would have been our deftruftion,
we entered it, and were hurried through with amazing rapidity,
by a torrent that kept us from driving againfl either
fide of the channel, which was not more than a quarter of a:
mile in breadth. While we were fhooting this gulpli, our
foundings were from thirty to feven fathom, very irregular,,
and the ground" at bottom very foul.
As foon, as we had got within the reef we anchored in.
nineteen fathom, over a bottom o f coral and Ihells. And
now, fuch is the viciflitude- of life, we thought ourfelves
happy in having regained a. fituation, which, but two days,
before it was the utmoft object of our hope to quit. Rocks,
and fhoals are always dangerous to the: mariner, even where
their fituation has been afcertained; they are more dangerous
in feas which have never before been navigated, and.in
this.
this part of the globe they are more dangerous than in any
other; for here they are reefs of coral rock, rifing like a
wall, almoft perpendicularly out of the unfathomable deep,
always overflowed at high-water, and at low-water dry in
many places; and here the enormous waves of the vaft
Southern Ocean, nieeting with fo abrupt a' refiftance,break,
with inconceivable violence,- in a furf which no rocks or
ftorms in the northern hemifphere can produce. The danger
of navigating unknown parts of this ocean was now
greatly increafed by our having a crazy fhip, and being fhort
of provisions and every óther'neéeffary; yet the diflinftion
of a firft difcoverer made us chearfully encounter every danger,
and fubmit to every inconvenience ; and we chofe rather
to incur the cenfure of imprudence and temerity, which
the idle and voluptuous fo liberally beffow upon ünfüccëfs-
ful fortitude and perfeveranèe, than leave a country which
we had difcovered unexplored, and give colour to a charge
of timidity and irrefolution.
Having now congratulated ourfelves upon getting within
the reef, notwithftanding we had fo lately congratulated
ourfelves upon getting without it, I refolved to keep the
main land on board in my future route to the northward,
whatever the confequence might be; for if we had now
gone without the reef again, it might have carried us fo far
from the coaft, as to prevent my being able to determine,
whether this country did, or did not, join to New Guinea ; a
queftion which I was determined to refolve from my firft
coming within fight of land. However, as I had experienced
the difadvantage of having a boat under repair, at a time
when it was poflible I might want to ufe her; I determined
to remain fall at anchor, till the pinnace was perfectly refitted.
As I had nö employment for thé other boats, I fent
them out in the morning-to the reef,- tó fee what refrefh-
C c a meats
177 a.
Äuguilt
Thurfday i6*
Friday 17,