I shall never
forget the impression made on me by the rapid drift of the ship, as
soon as the anchor was off the bottom, and her bows were cast
in-shore, in order to fill the sails. The land was so near that I
noted this drift by the rocks, and my heart was fairly in my mouth for
a few seconds. But the John worked beautifully, and soon gathered
way. Her bows did not not strike the eddy, however, until we got
fearful evidence of the strength of the true current, which had set us
down nearly as low as the reef outside, to windward of which it was
indispensable for us to pass. Marble saw all this, and he whispered
me to tell the cook to pass the pork into the launch at once--hot to
mind whether it were particularly well done, or not. I obeyed, and had
to tend the fore-sheet myself, for my pains, when the order was given
to "ready about."
The eddy proved a true friend, but it did not carry us up much higher
than the place where we had anchored, when it became necessary to
tack. This was done in season, on account of our ignorance of all the
soundings, and we had soon got the John's head off-shore
again. Drawing a short distance ahead, the main-top-sail was thrown
aback, and the ship allowed to drift. In proper time, it was filled,
and we got round once more, looking into the bight.
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