Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/378

 down and tacked, the wind being ahead at one o'clock the river was still covered with a thick fog. The ocean on each hand visible from the main-yard, and on the right hand side we saw the South West pass, one of the outlets or mouths of the Mississippi to the gulph of Mexico. Ahead we saw the South and on the left the South East pass, there being three principal passes to the sea. At three o'clock we came to these mouths, and the fog mislead us into the South pass, and we did not discover our error until Mr. E and myself for amusement went up the shrouds upon the main-*top and discovered ahead an island. As soon as this was proclaimed, the brig put about, and after stemming the current for an hour we got into the South East pass, which turns off gradually to the left, and appears to be well exhibited in Jefferson's chart, printed in London 12th May, 1794. At 5 o'clock we ran on a shoal on the right hand side of the South East pass, from which we got off without damage at six o'clock, when we dropped anchor.

March 15. At 7, went upon deck and found the morning very damp and raw, a thick mist covered the river, and obscured the land from our view. In a half an hour the fog blew over and we could clearly discover about two miles to the light house, at Balize, and a vessel riding at anchor a little above it. {341}At nine o'clock came to an anchor opposite the Balize. Here we took our long boat on board and prepared for sea. At one o'clock P. M. the pilot came on board, anchor weighed, we put about, and was under way in a few minutes. But we were soon enveloped in a thick fog, and obliged to return to our late station and drop anchor again.

In the evening I was much pleased with the beauty of nature as exhibited by the setting sun reflecting its rays upon the clouds in the western hemisphere, which were beautifully tinged with a fiery red. The fog had cleared away,