R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 365
Teaman, had his arm unfortunately fra&ured. By noon, the hold was A‘ 79^
re-ftowed, and the fhip, in every refpeft, ready again to proceed. ■
A light breeze fpringing up from the's.w. about one o’clock, we were
again under fail, and knowing of no fafer channel, we directed our
courfe through that before us, along the continental fhore. This was a
narrow palfage, and as we advanced, became more intricate by an in-
ereafed number of rocky iflets and rocks, as well beneath, as above the
furface of the water ; the former being afeertained by the furf breaking
with feme violence upon them. This dangerous navigation feemed to
continue as far as was difcernible towards the ocean, between the fhore
o f the continent and the land forming the oppofite fide of the channel,
which appeared to be an extenfive range of iflands.
Having fo recently been preferred from the dangers of a molt perilous
flotation, the feene before us, in prefenting- a- profpeft of many fuch
fnares, was extremely difeouraging. We had, however, not the leafl
hope o f finding a lefs difficult way for the execution of the adventurous
fervice in which we were engaged; nor any alternative but to proceed
with all the poffible circumfpe&ion and caution that the nature o f our
fituation would permit, through a channel not more than half a mile wide,
bounded on one fide by iflands, rocks, and breakers,, which in fome places
appeared almoft to meet the continental* fhore on the other. However
intricate, this apparently was the only navigable channel in the neighbourhood
About five in the afternoon we had fortunately efcaped
through its narroweft part ; the wind now became light and baffling ; the
ebb tide fat us towards the ocean,, where we now had a: view of the dif-
tant horizon, although intercepted by the fame rocky région that fur-
rounded us in: every direction. About fix o’clock fome of its hidden
dangers arrefted the progrefs of the Chatham. We inftantly anchored
in 70 fathoms water, and fent our boats to her affiftance: Thus, before
we had recovered from the fatiguing exertions and anxious folicitude of
one diltreffing night,, the endurance of a fimilar calamity was our portion
for the next.
I had lefs reafon at firft to hope for the prefervation of the Chatham
under the circumflances of her difafter, than I had the preceding night