From noon till 3 P.M. the gale continued to
increase and a sea got up still higher than it had yet been at any time
since the gale began...Made all as snug as possible for riding out the
gale, the hardest by far I ever saw in this country, and as it blew dead
on the shore outside nothing less than the greatest providence could have
saved us had we got to sea either of the times I attempted it. At
half-past 6 P.M. a lull with the appearance of good weather...7 P.M. the
weather looking very bad, made a run for Lady Nelson's Point, the gale
following us as hard as ever, at half-past 9 came to an anchor off Lady
Nelson's Point - at noon gale continued, however, we felt little here as
we lay right under the land.
"Sunday, 27th December. Between hours of 12 and 2 A.M. having caught
Henry Willis and John
Missing asleep in their watch, put both in irons.. 8 A.M. vessel
drove...she tailed in on a
mudbank, which obliged us to weight the best bower and with the long boat
lay it ahead to heave her off. At noon hove into 1/2 2 fathoms.
"Monday, 28th December. Wind at south-west at 3 P.M...up anchor and ran
to leeward of Lady Nelson's Point.
"Tuesday, 29th December. Winds at south-west. Shifted to north-west and
freshened into a gale with cloudy weather: thus has this kind of weather
bound us here this last 12 days...Sent the first mate and a party to see
and shoot some birds.
"Wednesday, 30th December. First part the wind veered to south-west and
blew so hard that we were obliged to give her the long service of the
cable although we lay under the land and not half a mile from it. No
fires have been seen these last three or four days.
"Thursday, 21st December. First and middle parts fine weather - at 3 P.M.
seeing a number of swans near Churchill's Island, sent the First Mate in
the boat to see and get some of them; he was lucky enough to catch
six...Up anchor and run down into Elizabeth's Cove. At half-past 6 P.M.
came to an anchor in 7 fathoms. By half-past 7 P.M. got on board two or
300 gallons of water and some wood. The well was in fine order,
overflowed and water clear. We here discovered another spring the banks
of which were covered with water-cresses and wild blackberries, got some
of both on board. I had intended going inland on the island some way,
this was baffled by a strong wind coming from west-north-west which threw
the sea into the cove - not at all pleasant.
