red
as the navigator and sailing master.

We commenced loading about the first of January, 1835, with staves and a
few other articles, and went to sea about the eighth, the vessel being
deeply loaded, which made her wet and uncomfortable for a winter's
voyage. We proceeded on the passage without any material accident until
we arrived in the latitude of Teneriffe, when we were overtaken by a
violent gale of wind, which lasted nearly two days; we shipped a number
of seas, which cleared our decks of staves, carried away our bulwarks,
broke our bowsprit, and sprung the head of our fore-mast; rendering the
schooner totally unmanageable. The next day the wind abated, and the sea
became more moderate, when we made all the repairs that our scant
materials would admit of, and in the afternoon discovered the high Peak
of Teneriffe. Finding our water running low, having had our last cask
stove during the gale, we agreed to come upon an allowance of one bottle
of water for each man per day. The weather became mild, with light
variable winds, which rendered the vessel quite unmanageable, as we had
no head sail to keep her before the wind in light breezes. With longing
eyes we viewed the majestic pyramid for fourteen days, the wind
remaining the same during all that time, when we approached so near the
harbor of Oratava that we were boarded by a pilot who conducted us into
that port. Our schooner's cables being only about forty fathoms long,
would not reach the bottom in that harbor, and we were obliged to hire a
cable and anchor to ride by during our stay in port.

While lying here it is necessary to keep a pilot constantly on board,
that we may be ready to proceed to sea the moment the wind changes so as
to blow towards the land. After we had remained in the harbor some four
or five days, and procured carpenters to repair our vessel, a gale of
wind commenced, and we were compelled to slip our cable and go to sea
again, where we remained about two days, when we put into the Island of
Palmos, at which place we continued three or four days. After the gale
abated we returned to our former anchorage in Oratava harbor.

The harbor of Oratava is surrounded by high rocks, almost perpendicular,
faced with sharp points, which makes it impossible to ascend them. When
vessels are wrecked in this place they are very soon dashed to pieces,
and their crews meet a watery grave. The anchorage is situated about
twelve miles from the foot of the Pe