when we supposed
ourselves in mid-channel, between Yarmouth and the Texel, about two
o'clock, in the middle watch, we touched the ground in broken water;
happily the weather was moderate, and, by hauling to the westward we
soon got into deep water again. The following morning, about ten
o'clock, we spoke a lugger, and were informed that we were seven or
eight leagues from the coast of Holland. The distance ran from the
time we struck, told us that we must have been on the Haacks. A happy
escape!

FOOTNOTES:

[13] _Naval Chronicle_, vol. xxxvii. p. 183.

THE PALLAS AND THE NYMPH.

In the month of December, 1810, the Pallas, a 32-gun frigate,
commanded by Captain Paris Monke, was returning, in company with the
Nymph, Captain Edward Sneyd Clay, from a month's cruise on the coast
of Norway, and was steering for Leith, with a prize in tow. She had
not got far to the southward, when, on Tuesday morning, the 18th,
between nine and ten o'clock, land was discovered, but the weather was
so thick, it could not be clearly defined. The pilot, however, gave it
as his opinion that they were north of the Red-head. Towards the
middle of the day they fell in with some fishing-boats, and Captain
Monke having requested one of the fishermen to come on board the
frigate, he learnt from this man that the ship was at that time off
Stonehive and the Tod Head. At four o'clock, P.M., the usual order to
pipe to supper was given; the wind was blowing from the north-west,
and the vessel going at the rate of four knots an hour. Supper being
over, the drum beat to quarters, and the captain, having received the
usual reports, ordered the watch to be called. At six o'clock, in
compliance with the wish of the pilot, the course was altered from
south-west to south-south-west. For the last quarter of an hour the
ship had been increasing her rate of sailing from five and a half to
six knots an hour; the top-gallant scudding sails were therefore taken
in, and the royal and top-gallant stay sails hauled down, as also the
jib and the spanker. Soon after this the pilot, pointing towards the
coast, said to the captain, 'There's Lunan Bay;' and shortly
afterwards he said, 'There's the Red Head;' but it was too dark, then,
to see the land, much less could the outline of the coast be
distinguished. The captain inquired if they should not soon see the
Bell Rock Light, and he was answered in the affirmative. He then
ordered the officer of the watch to h