Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/18

 the lulls, we rode with a slack cable; but about two o'clock in the morning the cable parted, being cut by the foul ground. All sail was made immediately, but the rocks astern were so close to us, that you might have thrown a biscuit on them, and we thought the cruize of the Trueblooded Yankee was at an end; but it proved otherwise, for the same cause which produced the slack cable preserved the vessel. The focus maximus we found had interposed between us and destruction; we had let go our anchor in this sub-marine forest, and had perched, as it were, on the tops of the trees; and, so thick were the leaves and branches, that they held us from driving, and prevented our going on shore when the cable had parted. We dragged slowly through the plants, and were very glad to see ourselves once more clear of this miserable spot.

But I sincerely wish all manner of success to this little empire, though I hope my evil stars will