d looked upon as the
key to West India navigation. Sometimes a vessel bound to the Windward
Islands, after reaching the latitude of her destined port, found it
necessary to "run down," steering due west, a week or ten days before
making the land.

An incident occurred in those waters, a few weeks after we passed
over them, which will illustrate this mode of navigation, and the
consequences that sometimes attend it. A large brig belonging to an
eastern port, and commanded by a worthy and cautious man, was bound to
St. Pierre in Martinico. The latitude of that island was reached in due
time, but the island could not bee seen, the captain having steered well
to the eastward. The brig was put before the wind, and while daylight
lasted every stitch of canvas was spread, and every eye was strained to
catch a glimpse of the high land which was expected to loom up in the
western horizon. This proceeding continued for several days; the brig
carrying a press of sail by day, and lying to by night, until patience
seemed no longer a virtue. The worthy captain began to fear he had not
steered far enough to the eastward, but had been carried by unknown
currents to leeward of his port, and that the first land he should make
might prove to be the Musquito coast on the continent. He felt anxious,
and looked in vain for a vessel from which he could obtain a hint in
regard to his true position. Neither land nor vessel could he meet with.

At the close of the fifth day after he had commenced "running down," no
land, at sunset, was in sight from the top-gallant yard; and at eight
o'clock the brig was again hove to. The captain declared with emphasis,
that unless he should make the island of Martinico on the following day,
he would adopt some different measures. The nature of those measures,
however, he never was called upon to explain. In the morning, just
as the gray light of dawn was visible in the east, while a dark cloud
seemed to hang over the western horizon, all sail was again packed
on the brig. A fresh breeze which sprung up during the night gave
the captain assurance that his passage would soon be terminated; and
terminated it was, but in a manner he hardly anticipated, and which he
certainly had not desired. The brig had not been fifteen minutes under
way when the dreadful sound of breakers was heard a sound which strikes
dismay to a sailor's heart. The dark cloud in the west proved to be
the mountains of Martinico, and the brig