chor was dropped in eleven fathoms muddy bottom, two miles to the
eastward of Island 8. The Dick and San Antonio anchored close to us.
During the night we had a fresh breeze from South-East by East, and, not
having any island or reef to shelter us from the swell, we were obliged
to drop a second anchor to retain our position. The San Antonio drove for
some distance, but the Dick rode through the night without driving,
although she had but forty fathoms of cable out.

June 26.

On weighing the next morning, we made sail to the North by West, but,
from the compass-box not being quite straight in the binnacle, we made a
North by West 1/2 West course, which was not discovered until we had
nearly paid dear for our neglect; for we passed close to a rock which I
intended to have gone at least a mile to windward of. It was seen just in
time to put the helm a-lee, or we should have run upon it.

The weather was now so thick that we could not see a mile around us; we
were therefore obliged to follow our former courses, to avoid the risk of
running over a strange track in such unfavourable weather. At sunset we
anchored under the lee of Piper's Islets.

June 27.

The next day we anchored under Sunday Island in Margaret Bay, at about
half a mile from the sandy beach, on its north-west side.

Here we were detained by bad weather until the 30th.

June 30.

When, with some slight appearance of improvement, and tired of losing so
much time, we weighed and proceeded on our course. After passing the Bird
Isles, thick weather again set in, with constant rain, and a strong
breeze from South-East. Upon reaching Cairncross Island, under which it
was my intention to anchor, the sails were reduced; and, as we were in
the act of letting go the anchor, Mr. Roe, who was at the masthead
holding thoughtlessly by the fore-topmast staysail-halyards, whilst the
sail was being hauled down, was precipitated from a height of fifty feet,
and fell senseless on the deck. We were now close to the reef; and, in
the hurry and confusion attending the accident, and the Dick at the same
time luffing up under our stern, the anchor was dropped, without my
ascertaining the quality of the bottom, which was afterwards found to be
of a very questionable nature.

The Dick, having dropped her anchor within forty yards of us, was lying
so close as to prevent our veering more cable than sixty fathoms, but as
we appeared to ride tolerably easy with a sheer to star