and measuring some six and
a half miles each way along the perpendicular and base of the triangle,
while Cayo de Sal is about seven and a half miles long by perhaps half a
mile broad.

There are about thirty other islets in the group, all of them very much
smaller than the two above named, and some of them so small as to
deserve rather the name of _rocks_ than islets. But the peculiarity
about the group which renders it so exceedingly dangerous to strangers
is that it forms part of an extensive reef, roughly of quadrangular
form, the belt of reef being about three miles wide, with a fine open
space inside divided into two fairly good anchorages by a reef
stretching across it in a north-westerly direction, from the westerly
extremity of Cayo Grande to the main reef. There are several passages
leading through the main reef into these anchorages, notably one on the
northern side of the reef, but the difficulties of the navigation are so
great to strangers that, if report is to be believed, it was, up to a
comparatively recent date, a favourite resort of pirates, who, once
through the reef, were practically safe from pursuit. Such was the spot
into which the _Sword Fish_ had rushed, blindfold as it were. And I can
only account for our escape from destruction by supposing that we had
providentially hit off one of the channels through the reef, or else
that the gale had heaped the water upon the reef to such an extent that,
with our light draught, we were able to pass over it. However, I had
only to look at the group, as portrayed upon the chart, to feel
thoroughly assured as to the safety of the schooner and ourselves; so I
turned into my bunk with an easy mind and a grateful heart at our truly
miraculous escape, and fell asleep the moment that my head touched the
pillow.

When the steward came to call me at seven bells the gale was still
raging furiously; but about four bells in the forenoon watch a break in
the sky appeared to windward, and shortly afterwards there was a
noticeable decrease in the strength of the wind. Meanwhile the break in
the clouds widened, patches of blue sky appeared here and there,
extending rapidly, and when noon arrived I was able to get a meridian
altitude of the sun, which conclusively demonstrated the truth of my
surmise that we were anchored in the Rocca group. The rock that
sheltered us was some forty feet high, and about twenty acres in extent,
situate nearly in the middle of the n