Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/470

442 east, with all sails set, having a fresh breeze from the W.N.W.

At six o'clock A.M. The mercury in the barometer had fallen more than three lines. Although the weather was fine, this certain indication of a great loss of equilibrium in the atmosphere, merited serious attention. We nevertheless advanced before the wind, towards the centre of a group of little islands, about 5,100 toises from the coast, although we were uncertain of finding a passage between them, when we saw them at a distance. About ten o'clock, when we were intangled among them, we discovered that they were joined together by reefs. The sky assumed a menacing aspect, the horizon lowered in the W.S.W. and presently the wind blew from that point, with the greatest impetuosity. It was to no purpose, that we spent a long time in seeking among those reefs an opening, which might allow us a passage into the open sea; and as we had no other than that by which we had entered, we put about, in order to gain it. The impetuosity of the tempest having forced us to furl most of our sails, the ship fell off so much, that we went to leeward of our intended exit. Our running rigging giving way on all sides, our manœuvres were much retarded. Our repeated attempts to extricate