surrounded
with sunken rocks, that we thought nothing but a miracle could save
us: at last we got safe into the bay, and came to in two fathom water, we
steered in east. At four this morning rowed out between the islands, after
we got out had a fresh breeze at N.W., steered out S.S.W. then S. and S. by
E., the cutter a-head. At seven in the morning a-breast of Cape Good Hope,
saw a large high rock bearing S., steered S. by E., going within it, and
the main a-breast of the rocks, saw a long point making into islands
bearing S. by E., steer'd S. until a-breast of them: The same day saw a
very high land, with a low point running off in small hommacoes, bearing
from the northmost point S. by E. about eighteen leagues; between those two
points is a large deep bay, all within surrounded with rocks and small
islands, steered S. and S. by W. for the outermost point, the cutter
keeping within, and we considering the ill consequence of being embayed, to
prevent which we hauled the mainsail and foresail down, and kept the vessel
before the wind; at eleven the cutter came alongside, with her mainsail
split; we called to them to take hold of a tow-rope, but they refused,
telling us that the boat would not bear towing, by reason of the swell of
the sea, therefore they would have us nearer the shore, where we should
have smooth water; we answered them that the water was smoother without,
and nothing nigh the sea that runs within; besides, we shall be embay'd,
therefore we desire you to come on board the vessel, and we'll take the
boat in tow: They had no regard to what we said; we at the same time, for
above a quarter of an hour, lay in the trough of the sea, with a fair wind:
The people in the cutter would neither make sail nor row, at last, finding
them obstinate, we hoisted a skirt of the mainsail, and edged farther off,
S. by W.; when they found we would not go into that bay, they hoisted their
mainsail, and went a-head; being some distance a-head, we made sail, the
cutter still keeping a-head till one o'clock, then she bore away S. by E.
and S.S.E., the reason of which we could not tell, it blowing very hard,
with a great sea, nothing before us but rocks and breakers, therefore of
consequence the farther in the sea must be the greater. At half an hour
past two, the cutter being on the beam, and four miles within us, we bore
away after them, and in a very heavy squall of wind and rain we lost sight
of her: After the squall was over i