The ship rode more easily; but, when the flood came in, there was no
longer an eddy, the current sucking round each side of the island in a
very unusual manner. About ten minutes before the hour when it was my
regular watch on deck, all hands were called; I ran on deck, and found
the ship had struck adrift, the cable having parted. Marble had got
the vessel's head up to the wind, under bare poles as before, and we
soon began to heave in the cable. It was found that the mischief had
been done by the rocks, the strands being chafed two-thirds
through. As soon as the current took the vessel's hull with force, the
cable parted. We lost our anchor, of course, for there was no
possible way of getting back to the island at present, or until the
ebb again made.
It wanted several hours of day, and the captain called a council. He
told us, he made no doubt that the ship had got into one of the Terra
del Fuego passages, guided by Providence; and, as he supposed we must
be almost as far south as Staten Land, he was of opinion we had made
an important discovery! Get back we could not, so long as the wind
held where it was, and he was disposed to make sail, and push the
examination of the channel, as far as circumstances would
allow. Captain Williams had a weakness on this point, that was amiable
and respectable perhaps, but which hardly comported with the objects
and prudence of a trading ship-master.
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