of the surge,
that beat her against the crags of the rock upon which she lay. In a few
moments every body was upon the deck, with countenances which
sufficiently expressed the horrors of our situation. We had stood off
the shore three hours and a half, with a pleasant breeze, and therefore
knew that we could not be very near it, and we had too much reason to
conclude that we were upon a rock of coral, which is more fatal than any
other, because the points of it are sharp, and every part of the surface
so rough as to grind away whatever is rubbed against it, even with the
gentlest motion. In this situation all the sails were immediately taken
in, and the boats hoisted out to examine the depth of water round the
ship. We soon discovered that our fears had not aggravated our
misfortune, and that the vessel had been lifted over a ledge of the
rock, and lay in a hollow within it: In some places there was from three
to four fathom, and in others not so many feet. The ship lay with her
head to the N.E.; and at the distance of about thirty yards on the
starboard side, the water deepened to eight, ten, and twelve fathom. As
soon as the long-boat was out, we struck our yards and topmasts, and
carried out the stream anchor on the starboard bow, got the coasting
anchor and cable into the boat, and were going to carry it out the same
way; but upon sounding a second time round the ship, the water was found
to be deepest astern: the anchor therefore was carried out from the
starboard quarter instead of the starboard bow, that is, from the stern
instead of the head, and having taken ground, our utmost force was
applied to the capstern, hoping that if the anchor did not come home,
the ship would be got off; but, to our great misfortune and
disappointment, we could not move her. During all this time she
continued to beat with great violence against the rock, so that it was
with the utmost difficulty that we kept upon our legs; and to complete
the scene of distress, we saw by the light of the moon the
sheathing-boards from the bottom of the vessel floating away all round
her, and at last her false keel, so that every moment was making way for
the sea to rush in which was to swallow us up. We had now no chance but
to lighten her, and we had lost the opportunity of doing that to the
greatest advantage, for unhappily we went on shore just at high water,
and by this time it had considerably fallen, so that after she should be
lightened so as