Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/190

180 quence of its high latitude, to very violent winds, which blow from the mountains in blats. Fearing that our cables might rot upon the muddy bottom of this harbour, we had taken them on board and held on our chain. A udden and violent gale from N.W. drove us from our anchorage, to the eat ide of the harbour, where we ran aground in the mud. After having drawn in the piece of cable to which the chain was fatened, we found that one of the links had been broken; though upon examining it we could not perceive any flaw in the iron. It appeared that the chain had been made of brittle metal. We thought it fortunate that it had been put to the proof in a harbour, where we ran no other danger than that of being tuck in the mud; otherwie this chain, upon which our afety depended, would have become the caue of our ruin.

26th. I remained the whole day on board, employed with preparing and decribing the numerous curioities of natural hitory, which I had collected on the preceding days.

On the following day, oon after dawn, we et out with a deign of penetrating as far as we were able into the country. We were et on hore towards S.E. After having followed the windings of the hore for ome time, we came to a road frequented by the natives, which enabled us to enter