board, while the
Dick rode on the opposite sheer, we remained as we were: to prevent
accident, the yards were braced so that we should cast clear of the Dick
if we parted, a precaution which was most happily taken.

As soon as the distressing accident that had occurred was known on board
the Dick, Dr. Armstrong, a surgeon of the navy and a passenger in that
ship, hastened on board to assist Mr. Montgomery in dressing Mr. Roe's
hurt, which I found, to my inexpressible satisfaction, was not so
grievous as might have been expected: his fall was, most providentially,
broken twice; first by the spritsail brace, and secondly by some planks
from the Frederick's wreck, which had fortunately been placed across the
forecastle bulwark over the cat-heads: his head struck the edge of the
plank and broke his fall, but it cut a very deep wound over the right
temple. This unfortunate event threatened to deprive me of his very
valuable assistance for some time, a loss I could but very ill spare,
particularly when upon the point of returning to the examination of so
intricate a coast as that part where we last left off.

At six o'clock in the evening the flood-tide began to set to leeward, and
as night approached the appearance of the weather became very
threatening, accompanied by a descent of the mercury; this gave me a very
unfavourable idea of our situation: the wind was blowing clear of the
reef, and raised a heavy sea; and the Dick was so close to us that we
dared not veer cable, for fear of getting on board of her, which must
have happened if either ship should break her sheer.

At half-past ten o'clock, during a very heavy squall, the cable parted,
but from the precaution above-mentioned, the brig happily drifted with
her head to starboard, and passed clear both of the Dick and San Antonio;
the chain-cabled anchor was then dropped, and veered to ninety fathoms,
which brought her up in fifteen fathoms, mud; in which birth she appeared
to ride much easier than before. I was now very anxious about the lost
anchor; and, having expressed a wish to inform Mr. Harrison of our
situation, and to request him to recover our anchor in the morning if the
weather would permit, Mr. Bedwell volunteered to go on board her; which,
although a service of danger, was, if possible to be effected, absolutely
necessary. The boat was lowered, and they shoved off, but as the crew
were unable to pull it ahead, I called her on board again, which was most