fortunate; for shortly afterwards the chain-cable parted also, and the
brig drove with her head towards the shore.

1821. July 1.

We had now the prospect of being obliged to keep under sail during the
remainder of the night. An attempt was made to veer, in order that, by
laying to with her head off shore, we might have time to recover the
cable, without endangering the security of the vessel; but, from the
weight of the chain at the bow, this manoeuvre could not be effected;
fearing, therefore, to drift any more to the westward, in which direction
we were making rapid way, I was under the necessity of slipping the
chain, by which we lost one hundred fathoms of cable, which we could but
badly spare: being now freed from the impediment, the brig's head was
placed off shore; and after making sail, we fired several muskets and
showed lights, as signals to the Dick, who, it afterwards appeared, kept
a light up for our guidance; but the weather was so squally and thick,
with almost constant rain, that it was not seen by us. It was half-past
twelve o'clock when we made sail to the North-East by East, deepening
from fourteen to sixteen fathoms, and when the hillocky summit of
Cairncross Island bore South by West, beyond which bearing we did not
know how far we could proceed with safety; we tacked to the
South-South-West, and proceeded in that direction until the island bore
South, when we were in fourteen fathoms. Having thus ascertained the
depth of this space, which was about three miles in extent, it was
occupied during the remainder of the night; which, being very dark and
squally, was passed by us in the greatest anxiety. At day-dawn we were
joined by our companions, and, as it was not possible from the state of
the weather to regain the anchors we had lost, made sail towards Turtle
Island, on our way to which we passed Escape River: both of these places
reminded us of former perils, but the recollection of our providential
preservation on those occasions, as well as on many others during our
former voyages, increased the grateful feelings which we now felt for our
safety and protection during the last night, the anxieties and
circumstances of which can never be obliterated from our minds.

Our course was directed entirely by the chart I had previously formed;
for the weather was so thick that for the greater part of the way no land
could be seen to guide us: by noon we had passed between Cape York and
Mount Adolphus, a