September ldft SP'thead on the l6th inft- at eight o’clock in the morning, and
e— .— ■ paffed by St. Helen’s at eleven; but the wind proving contrary,
and the weather wet and hazy, we returned to St. Helen’s Road,
i and came to anchor there in the evening. At feven the next
morning we weighed, and made fail. The weather during this,
and the two following days, was moderate, and the winds variable.
On board the King George were feveral ladies, who were going to
Guernfey on a jaunt of pleafure; and a cutter, from Gofport,
belonging to our owners, accompanied us for the purpofe of bringing
them back. On the 19th, in the evening, we were at anchor
with what is called the kedge, (which is one o f the fmall anchors)
and the cutter was moored to our ftern with a ftout rope j but
though the weather was very moderate, the tide run fo ftrong,
that the rope prefently broke, and the cutter ran adrift: the fluke
o f our anchor was likewife carried away; this, however, was
attended with no great inconveniency. Though I am fo young a
failor, yet I had already been in fome danger, as thou mayeft recol-
left when we had a heavy gale of wind off Beachy 5 and I was
again deftined to be in a much worfe fituation, from quite a contrary
caufe, viz. a calm. This, to one like thee, will feem a
paradox, as you people who never faw fait water mull: needs think it
the bell weather when the Iky Is clear, and the water fmooth. On
the 20 th, in the afternoon, we faw the Calketts, which area heap
o f rocks, fo called by lailors, on account, I fuppofe, of their like-
riefs. Thefe rocks have been, perhaps, more fatal to mariners,
than ever were the famed Scylla and Charibdis of the ancients!
The tide drifted us right upon them : we were quite becalmed, fo
that our veffel was unmanageable; and at eight in the evening,
they were within little more than a mile of us : we had foundings
indeed in eighteen or twenty fathom water, but the bottom was
nothing but lharp rocks, lo that had we been reduced to the necelfity
flty of -letting go our anchor; there was fcarcely a poflibility of 1785.
its doing us any fervice; but at nine o’clock the tide turned, and St;Ptembe^
alitmr'apprehenfions were quickly over.. This circumftance will
at once £hew thee, that calms, when near land, are oft times more
dangerous than violent gales of wind.
On the 2iff, about one o’clock, our owners brought us a pilot
on board (the harbour of Guernfey being right a-head of us) to
take us in ; and, it was rather a laughable circumftance, that the
man pretended he could not fpeak any Englifh, and we had nobody
on board who undfcrftood French; but we foon found Monfieur'
knew fomething of Englifh, when he underftood, that if he was
ignorant of. our language, we mull provide ourfelves with.another'
pilot..
We came to anchor in Guernfey Road about fix: o’clock in the
evening, the weather wet and hazy. Thou wilt expedt me to fay
fomething,about, this place,.and I fhall give thee every information
in my power with the greateft pleafure, though my account will
be much more circumfcribed than I could wilh ; notwithftanding;
this, thou mayeft be affured, that for the fake of fwelling my narrative,
I never will forfake the regions of truth, or overleap the:
bounds of probability. On a rock entirely furrounded by water,.
aboutthree quarters of a mile from the town, Hands the Caftle, but
its appearance has nothing of that Gothic call, which edifices of that
kind generally have; it is exceeding low, and I fancy very ancient,
the greater part having been recently repaired, which makes it look .
like a piece of patch-work. It is defended by a number of guns,
and a guard of foldiers ; but what quantity of each I cannot inform
thee. It is likewife the prifon for all the ifland, either in
civil, or criminal cafes. The only thing to recommend the Road
where