igh it, giving orders
at the same time to get the larboard-bower ready for slinging between
the quarter-boat and the launch, which I also ordered to be hoisted out.
Presently the quarter-boat came alongside with the stream-anchor
hanging over her stern; and then the reason for its coming home became
evident--we had hove upon it until one of the flukes had been torn off.

By the time that the stream-anchor was out of the boat the bower was
hanging at the bows ready for slinging, and it was then run away by the
two boats directly to windward. As soon as it was let go we began to
heave away once more, but with no better result--the schooner was hard
and fast, and no efforts of ours were equal to the moving of her.

We now found ourselves in a very pretty pickle; and to add to my
annoyance I made the discovery that we had grounded just about high-
water, and that the tides, such as they were, were "taking off;" that is
to say, each high tide would be a trifle lower than the preceding one
until the neaps were reached and passed. There was nothing for it then
but to lighten the ship; and getting the remaining boat into the water,
all three were brought alongside, and the iron ballast was then hoisted
out of the hold and lowered into the boats until they were as deeply
loaded as they could be with safety, even in that perfectly smooth
water. This lightened the schooner so considerably that I felt sanguine
of getting her afloat when the tide next rose; but, not to neglect any
means at my disposal to secure this very desirable end, I ordered all
our spare spars to be launched overboard, and with them, some empty
casks, and a quantity of lumber from the hold, a raft was constructed
capable of supporting three of the guns, though they sank it so deep
that I was at first afraid we should lose them altogether. I could then
do no more until it was again high-water--which would not be until an
hour past midnight--unless I sent the boats ashore to discharge their
cargoes on the beach and then come alongside again to further lighten
the ship; and this I was very loath to do, as I felt convinced that the
process of handling and re-handling the heavy pigs of ballast would
consume so much time that we should lose rather than gain by it, to say
nothing of the exhausting labour which would thus devolve upon the men.
Leaving Courtenay, therefore, who was uninjured, in charge of the deck,
I retired to the cabin, which was at that moment se