might sound. We had still plenty of water, so I stood on again. At
last the fog lifted a little, when to my very great disgust I found that
we had run three leagues past the mouth of the harbour. We endeavoured
to tack back, but before morning a heavy gale of wind sprung up directly
off shore. It was impossible to beat up against it, so I stood to the
eastward all that day and night, under a try-sail and storm-jib. During
this time the gale showed no signs of abating. It was a good trial to
our tempers, at all events. Grampus vowed that there was some old witch
in Halifax who must have taken a spite to us and was resolved to keep us
out of the harbour as long as she could. He was devising all sorts of
plans for exorcising her, but none seemed likely to prove satisfactory.
In the morning, the weather moderating a little, I stood to the westward
under close-reefed mainsail and double-reefed foresail, and by the
evening reached at length the mouth of the harbour. "There's many a
slip between the cup and the lip." We were congratulating ourselves on
getting all snug at night, when once more the wind breezed up with a
thickish fog, and as we were then in only forty fathoms of water I was
obliged again to run to sea. The bad weather kept me, as well as all
the people, on deck, for not knowing what might occur no one could
venture to go below. Some time before daylight I once more hauled my
wind and beat up towards the land. By the evening of the 10th we were
again in with Jabucta Head. We then got soundings on a reef of rocks in
eight fathoms water, but so worn out was I and everybody on board that I
ordered the anchor to be let go, that we might turn in and get some
rest. I fully expected to lose my anchor and cable, but when I came to
weigh at daylight the next morning I was fortunate enough to save them
both. I now fully expected to get safe into harbour, but as I was
standing up Major's Reach I saw a Falmouth packet coming down. The
temptation of speaking her and sending a message home was too great to
be resisted, so I stood over towards her. As the sloop was going about
she missed stays near a dangerous reef, and to prevent her driving on
the rocks it was necessary to be quick in wearing. In doing this the
boom came over with the whole main-sheet eased off, and carried it away
in six different places. This accident compelled me to run from the
narrow channel and lost me the opportunity of speaking the p