Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/79

 �.Imp. At. daylight, on tho 6th, wo got under weigh Bug. s. to a light air of wind from the sou. thwal,  leave Prince Reffent's River; but notwithstand- ing tho vessel was under all sail, she was very nearly thrown upon Laminas Islaud by the tide, which was seng with great strength through the shoal passage between it aud Sight Point: as we past without it, we were not more than fiv yards from the rocks, The wind then fell ta a dead calm, and the brig was per- fectly jmmoveable in the water; but drifted. by the tide, and whirled round by the eddies, we were fast approaching the body of the largest Midway Is. land, with a very- great uncertainty on which side of it the tide would drii us: when we were about three. hundred yards from the �island, the direction of the stream changed, and carded us round its south-east side, at about two hundred yards from the shore, but close to the low rocks off  its east end, on which. we landed two days since. We were. under great anxiety for fear of being driven over the reef, on which there. could not Ira. re beea sufficient water to have floated us; but our fears of that danger were soon over, ibr. the tide swept us rapidly round it. At this moment a light air sprang up, which lasted only five minutes, but it was suient to carry us past the junction of th

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