Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/48

 COAST8 OF AUST!tALIA. ' ' l' unfortunate event threatened to deprive me of his very valuable assistance for some time, a loss ! could but very ill spare, particularly when upon the point of returning to the of so intricate a coast as that part where we last At six o'clock in the evening the flood.tide: began to set to leeward, and as night approached, the appearance of the weather became very' threatenin K, accompan/ed by a descent of the  mercury; this gave me a very unfavourable iclea of our situation: the wind was blowing clear'of .' '; the reef, and ra/sed a heavy sea; and the Dickl was so close to us that we dared not veer cable, for fear of getting on board of her, which'must have happened if either ship should break her- sheer. At half past ten o'clock, during a very heavy 5qhii, the cable parted, but from the precaution. above-mentioned, the brig happily drifted with. her head to starboard, and passed clear both. of the I)/ck and San Antoo; the chain-cabled, anchor was then dropped, and veered to nLuety. fathoms, which brought her up in fifteen thorns, mud; in which b/rth she appeared to- ride much easier. than before. I was now very anx/ous about the lost anchor; and, havin ex- pressed a wish to inform Mr: Harrison of our

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