A Narrative of Voyages and Travels in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres; Comprising Three Voyages Round the World Together with a Voyage of Survey

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1818. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... nate circumstance for us, that the king's schooner, which guarded the island, sailed the day before on a look-out to windward, and there was no vessel of force in the harbour to follow us. These considerations were taken into view at the time of fixinlr on the plan of going' to sea. They, however, on finding that we had got clear of the batteries, armed a schooner in the best manner they could, and put on board her thirty-five men and sent in pursuit of us'; but either by accident or by design, I do not know which, they missed us. This I viewed as a fortunate circumstance, as had we met, the consequence would most probably have been very serious, being situated as we were, and knowing the importance it would be to us, we could not have been taken very easily. " On the fourth day after we left St. Bartholomews we experienced a tremendous hurricane, which' was more terrible to ui than the fire of the batteries, that we escaped from. We were in latitude, between 24 and 25 when it commenced, the wind being at that time at eats-north-east. The gale increased gradually, and the wind hauled to the eastward and southward, continuing to freshen till twelve o'clock in the day, when it hauled to the south-east, and blew with such violence as to reduce us to a two reefed maintop-sail, fore-sail, and foretopmast-stay-sail; the ship right before the wind, and two good men at the wheel. The wind hauled, so that at four o'clock, P. M. it was south, and increased to such a degree that it was thought not safe to start tack, sheet, or brace; the fore-tacks had both been brought aft and made fast to assist the foresheets, and the maintop-sail lowered down, yard on the cap, before the gale had so much increased, About this time the ship took a proud yaw and the f...