: These birds they got
from the people on shore, who told them, that when a gale of wind
happened in the night they flew faster into their fire than they could
well take them out, so that during the gale of the last night, they got
no less than seven hundred of them. The boats were employed in getting
water on board all this day, although the surf was so great that several
of the casks were staved and lost: They were sent out again a little
before it was light the next day, and by seven o'clock a few casks only
were wanting to complete our stock. The threatening appearances of the
weather made me now very impatient to get the people on board, with the
casks that were still at the watering-place; as soon, therefore, as the
boats were cleared of their loading, I dispatched them again, with
orders to bring off all the hands, with the tent, and every thing else
that was on shore, with all possible expedition. From this time the wind
increased very fast, and by eleven o'clock it blew so hard, with violent
gusts from the land, that the ship began to drive off the bank: We
heaved the small anchor up, and got it in out of the way of the other;
the gale still increased, but as it was right off the land, I was in no
pain about the ship, which continued to drive, still dragging the anchor
through the sand, with two hundred fathom of cable out; being very
solicitous to give the boats time to bring all on board before we were
quit of the bank, I would not weigh. At two o'clock, however, the anchor
was quite off the ground, and the ship was in deep water; we were now
therefore obliged to bring the cable to the capstern, and with great
difficulty we got the anchor up. The gusts off the land were so violent,
that, not daring to show any canvas, we lay-to under our bare poles, and
the water was frequently torn up, and whirled round in the air much
higher than our mast heads. As the ship now drove from the island at a
great rate, and night was coming on, I began to be in great pain for the
boats, in which, besides my lieutenant, there were eight-and-twenty of
my best men; but just in the dusk of the evening, I perceived one of
them scudding before the seas, and making towards the ship: This proved
to be the long-boat, which, in spite of all the efforts of those on
board, had been forced from her grappling, and driven off the land. We
took the best opportunity that offered to get her on board, but
notwithstanding all our care, she received