twenty-two leagues in
distance, (that is, from the south-west cape to Tasman's Head) we
had every reason to think we were near round it; but at half past
three in the afternoon it cleared a little in the horizon, and we
saw the land bearing east; the haze was such that we could not
well guess the distance, but it was very near; on this we wore
the ship immediately, and stood to the westward.

The wind had now got to south-south-east, but continued to
blow with great violence, the ship upon this tack lying up
south-west, we set the reefed main-sail, and at half past six we
saw the land again, through the haze close under our lee bow, and
the sea breaking with prodigious force upon it it, was impossible
to weather it; therefore we wore the ship immediately, while
there was a chance of having room for doing so. I now found that
we were embayed, and the gale not in the least likely to abate,
and the sea running mountain high, with very thick weather, a
long dark night just coming on, and an unknown coast I may call
it, (for although it has been seen by several navigators, it is
not yet known) close under our lee; nothing was now left to be
done but to carry every yard of canvass the ship was capable of
bearing, and for every person on board to constantly keep the
deck, and attentively to look out under the lee for the land, and
as often as it might be discovered, to wear, and lay the ship's
head the other way: but as we knew not what bay, or part of the
coast we were upon, nor what dangerous ledges of rocks might be
detached some distance from the shore; and in our way, we had
every moment reason to fear that the next might, by the ship
striking, launch the whole of us into eternity.

Our situation was such that not a man could have escaped to
have told where the rest suffered: however, whatever might have
been the private feelings of each individual, I never saw orders
executed with more alacrity in any situation; every officer and
man took his station for the look-out; and, the ship being wore
to the eastward, notwithstanding the strength of the gale, the
close reefed fore and main top-sails were set over the reefed
courses.

Fortunately at this instant the wind favoured us near two
points, and the ship lay better up upon this tack, than her
course upon the other had promised, but still the weather was so
thick, the sea so high, the gale so strong, and so dead upon the
shore, that little hope could be entertained o