1796                             (18)
March         electric fluid were flying about in all directions; and the
Tuesday       light breeze, with which we had weighed, was extremely
    29     variable in quantity, and never came five minutes together from the
same quarter. These appearances generally precede gusts of
wind off the land, which it was of the utmost importance to us to
guard against. We immediately pulled close in, and anchored
in a small bending of the cliff, within a dozen yards of the rocks.
      At ten o'clock, a fresh gale sprung up from the south, and soon
made it impoƒsible for the boat to ride where we were. Having
weighed, we put her before the wind, along the coast, but without
knowing where we to run for safety; for from the distance we
had paƒsed when going to the southward, we were entire strangers
to this part. The wind kept increasing, and swept along the high
steep cliffs with great violence. In a few minutes the waves became
seas, and began to break; and to add to our comfort the night
was extremely dark, the moon having not yet risen. We could
see the shade of the dark, grim-looking cliffs, over our heads; and
the thundering noise of the surf at their feet told us a tale, that
forbid all idea of approaching them.
      We were thus running in the dark, with the sail flying away be-
-fore the mast like a flag, M ^r Baƒs keeping the end of the sheet
in his hand, and hauling aft a few inches occasionally, to keep
the boat ahead of those seas, which appeared eagerly following
after, to overwhelm us with destruction. I was steering with an
oar, and it required the utmost exertion and care to keep her
directly before the sea.
      Breakers appeared right ahead. The land was low at the
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