son:--

'The coast is formed of rugged and almost perpendicular rocks, varying
from 80 to 194 feet in height, a peak rising at each point, and
another in nearly the centre of the north-eastern side.

'On viewing this terrific place, with the knowledge that at the time
of the shipwreck the wind was from the southward, I was struck with
astonishment, and it appeared quite a mystery that so great a number
of lives could have been saved; and indeed it will never cease to be
so, for that part on which the crew landed is so difficult of access,
that (even in fine weather) after being placed by a boat on a rock at
the base, it required considerable strength and agility, with the
assistance of a man-rope, to climb the precipitous face of the cliff,
and I am certain that in the hour of extreme peril, when excess of
exertion was called forth, there must have been a most extraordinary
display of it by a few for the benefit of the whole.'

When the party were all safely landed on the top of the rocks, they
perceived that they were on an island without inhabitants, and
affording no shelter, except a few huts, that had been erected for the
convenience of the natives curing fish. Fortunately these huts
contained a considerable quantity of salt fish and farina. This was
placed in charge of the purser, and immediately distributed amongst
the ship's company, who stood in great need of refreshment. As soon as
the men were sufficiently recovered from their fatigues, they were
despatched in parties in all directions, to discover means of
communicating with the mainland, from which the island was a few miles
distant. Most of them soon returned with the tidings that no means of
transport could be procured. This was a very disheartening
announcement; but its effects were quickly dispelled by the appearance
of a canoe coming into the little cove where the huts were situated.

The seamen made signals to the men in the canoe, inviting them to
approach, which they did; and when they came up, they communicated the
welcome intelligence, that round a point to the left, on the mainland,
there was a village which afforded all kinds of accommodation.

Captain Burgess then ordered Lieutenant Hamilton to go in a canoe,
with two or three of his men, to this village, and there to make
arrangements for proceeding to the commander-in-chief at Rio Janeiro,
and to send off as many canoes as he could procure to convey the
ship's company to the mainland.