and the time it would require to accomplish it, on
account of the many dangers we should have to encounter, I determined not
to hazard the ship down to leeward, where we might be so hemmed in as to
find it difficult to return, and by that means lose the proper season for
getting to the south. I now wished to have had the little vessel set up,
the frame of which we had on board. I had some thoughts of doing this, when
we were last at Otaheite, but found it could not be executed, without
neglecting the caulking and other necessary repairs of the ship, or staying
longer there than the route I had in view would admit. It was now too late
to begin setting her up, and then to use her in exploring this coast; and
in our voyage to the south, she could be of no service. These reasons
induced me to try to get without the shoals; that is, to the southward of
them.[2]

Next morning at day-break, we got under sail with a light breeze at E. by
N. We had to make some trips to weather the shoals to leeward of Botany
Isle; but when this was done the breeze began to fail; and at three p.m. it
fell calm. The swell, assisted by the current, set us fast to S.W. towards
the breakers, which were yet in sight in that direction. Thus we continued
till ten o'clock, at which time a breeze springing up at N.N.W. we steered
E.S.E.; the contrary course we had come in; not daring to steer farther
south till daylight.

At three o'clock next morning, the wind veered to S.W., blew hard, and in
squalls, attended with rain, which made it necessary to proceed with our
courses up and top-sails on the cap, till day-break, when the hill on the
Isle of Pines bore north; and our distance from the shore in that direction
was about four leagues. We had now a very strong wind at S.S.W. attended by
a great sea; so that we had reason to rejoice at having got clear of the
shoals before this gale overtook us. Though every thing conspired to make
me think this was the westerly monsoon, it can hardly be comprehended under
that name, for several reasons; first, because it was near a month too soon
for these winds; secondly, because we know not if they reach this place at
all; and lastly, because it is very common for westerly winds to blow
within the tropics. However, I never found them to blow so hard before, or
so far southerly. Be these things as they may, we had now no other choice
but to stretch to S.E., which we accordingly did with our starboard tacks
aboard; and