ered
with the same lofty trees that ornamented the borders of the greater one.
We continued to range the outside of these small isles and breakers, at
three-fourths of a league distance, and as we passed one, raised another,
so that they seemed to form a chain extending to the isles which lie off
the foreland. At noon we observed, in latitude 22 deg. 44' 36" S. the Isle of
Pines extending from N by E 1/2 E. to E. by N.; and Cape Coronation N. 32 deg.
30' W distant seventeen leagues. In the afternoon, with a fine gale at
east, we steered N.W. by W., along the outside of the shoals, with a view
of falling in with the land a little to S.W. of the foreland. At two
o'clock p.m. two low islets were seen bearing W. by S., and as they were
connected by breakers, which seemed to join those on our starboard, this
discovery made it necessary to haul off S.W., in order to get clear of them
all. At three, more breakers appeared, extending from the low isles towards
the S.E. We now hauled out close to the wind, and, in an hour and a half,
were almost on board the breakers, and obliged to tack. From the mast-head
they were seen to extend as far as E.S.E., and the smoothness of the sea
made it probable that they extended to the north of east, and that we were
in a manner surrounded by them. At this time the hill on the Isle of Pines
bore N. 71 1/2 E., the foreland N. 1/4 W., and the most advanced point of
land on the S.W. coast bore N.W., distant fifteen or sixteen leagues. This
direction of the S.W. coast, which was rather within the parallel of the
N.E., assured us that this land extended no farther to the S.W. After
making a short trip to N.N.E., we stood again to the south, in expectation
of having a better view of the shoals before sun-set. We gained nothing by
this but the prospect of a sea strewed with shoals, which we could not
clear but by returning in the track by which we came. We tacked nearly in
the same place where we had tacked before, and on sounding found a bottom
of fine sand. But anchoring in a strong gale, with a chain of breakers to
leeward, being the last resource, I rather chose to spend the night in
making short boards over that space we had, in some measure, made ourselves
acquainted with in the day: And thus it was spent, but under the terrible
apprehension, every moment, of falling on some of the many dangers which
surrounded us.

Day-light shewed that our fears were not ill-founded, and that we had been
in th