am equipped with
grass hawser, breeches buoy, rocket line, and everything necessary to
bring off the gear. We had a rough time getting the stuff away undamaged
by the sea, but the pram was a wonderful sea-boat and we took it in turns
to work her through the surf until everything was away.

At the last, when nearly everything had been salved and got to the
whaler, the collections in tin boxes, wooden cases and baskets, and the
two men, Atkinson and Brewster, were on board, a large wave threw the
pram right up on the rocks, capsizing her and damaging her badly. Her two
occupants jumped out just before a second wave swept the boat over and
over. Then a third huge roller came up and washed the pram out to sea,
where she was recovered by means of a grapnel thrown from the whaler. The
two on the rocks had to face the surf again but were good swimmers, and
with their recovery our little adventure ended. It was a pity we had bad
weather, because I intended to give the crew a run on the island when
Campbell had finished with them.

We remained another day under the lee of Trinidad Island owing to a hard
blow from the south-east--a dead head wind for us--because I felt it
would be useless to put to sea and punch into it. We were anchored one
mile S. 4 degrees E (magnetic) from the Ninepin Rock, well sheltered from
the prevailing wind. We left Trinidad at noon on the 28th, well prepared
for the bad weather expected on approaching the Cape of Good Hope.

Whilst clearing the land we had an excellent view of South West Bay and
saw a fine lot of rollers breaking on the beach. I was glad we kept there
that day, as, in my opinion, our anchorage was really the only fair one
off the island. By noon on the 29th we had left South Trinidad out of
sight, the wind had freshened again and we could almost lay our course
under sail for the Cape. This next stage of the voyage was merely a story
of hard winds and heavy rolls. The ship leaked less as she used up the
coal and patent fuel. All the same we spent many hours at the pump, but,
since much of the pumping was done by the afterguard--as were called the
officers and scientists we developed and hardened our muscles finely. In
the daytime the afterguard were never idle; there is always plenty to do
in a sailing ship, and when not attending to their special duties the
scientists were kept working at everything that helped the show along.
Whilst on deck they were strictly disciplined and subordin