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was higher, and the wind as strong as ever. I saw the cutter a
little before, about three miles from us, standing to the eastward
on a wind; but whether she would clear the shore I could
not make out.
“ After dark, finding we could not well be worse olF as to
risk, I bore up, and pulled with the sea rather abaft the beam,
twisting the boat ‘ end on’ to each wave as it came, hoping to
get into smoother water to the westward. Night, and having
hung on our oars five houi’s, made me think of beaching the
boat to save the men; for in a sea so short and breaking, it
was not likely she would live much longer. At any time in the
afternoon, momentary neglect, allowing a wave to take her improperly,
would have swamped us; and after dark it was worse.
Shortly after bearing up, a heavy sea broke over my back, and
half filled the boat : we were baling away, expecting its successor,
and had little thoughts of tlie boat living, when—quite
suddenly—the sea fell, and soon after tlie wind became mode-
I’ate. So extraordinary was the change, that the men, by one
impulse, lay on their oars, and looked about to see what had
happened. Probably we had passed the place where a tide
was setting against the wind. I immediately put the boat’s
head towards the cove we left in the morning, and with thankful
gladness the men pulled fast ahead. In ten minutes the sea
was smooth, and the breeze so moderate, as not to impede our
progress. Our only anxiety was then about the cutter ; for we
could not tell how she had weathered the gale. I was sure she
would have prospered if kept by the wind ; but some accident,
or change of purpose, was to be feared.
“ About an hour after midnight, we landed in safety at
Donkin Cove; so tired, and numbed by the cold, for it was
freezing sharply, that we could hardly get out of the boat.
The embers of our morning fire were still burning ; so we put
on some wood, and lay down round them. No men could have
behaved better than that boat’s crew ; not a word was uttered
by one of them; nor did an oar flag at any time, although
they acknowledged, after landing, that they never expected
to see the shore again. We resolved to start early to look for
the cutter, and fell asleep: but before daylight I was roused hv
some one, and to my joy, saw Mr. Stokes standing by me. He
had just arrived with the cutter, having kept his wind till
the sea fe ll; and since that time had been pulling towards this
spot: with what thankful feelings all hands lay down to sleep
may be easily supposed.
“ 21st. This morning I believe no one waked before ten
o’clock. Drying our clothes, and putting the boats to rights,
occupied most of the day. Our time was now so short, besides
having almost expended our provisions, that I gave up the idea
of crossing the Otway Water, and decided to return nearly the
way we came, after taking a view from the higher ground.
“ 22d. A sharp frost, during the past night and this day,
hardened the ground, and with four of my boat’s crew, I
walked to the Beagle Hills. Our way led through a scattered
wood, the only one seen on the north side of the channel, and
in which most of the trees appeared to have been burned. We
gained the summit of the heights soon after noon, and were
amply rewarded by an extensive view.
“ Although not more than eight hundred feet above the
sea, I could discern the Gregory Hills (so plainly as to make
out their yellowish brown colour); Cape Bartholomew, Nassau
Island ; Cape Monmouth ; the high peaks over Cape Froward ;
the range of mountains thence to the Jerome Channel, and from
the Jerome, westward to all those about Cape PhiUip, and
Cape Parker ; and the whole extent of the Otway and Skyring
Waters; the latter being bounded to the N.W. by down-like
hills, about six or eight hundred feet high. North of the Beagle
Hills, a range of similar downs extended ; and to the east was
a succession of lagoons, completely intersecting the flat country
towards Pecket Harbour.
“ We left a memorial, cut in lead, at the foot of a post sunk
in the ground; hut the air was so cold, that the men, who
wished to add their names, were unable to mark them on the
lead. It was eight o’clock before we regained our bivouac,
much fatigued by the day’s work.
“ 23d. I went into a wigwam, where there was a woman
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