heaving it up, fortunately at a time that no harm could result from the gross negligence of those whose duty it was to ascertain the soundness of that on which, under different circumstances, the ship, and lives of all on board, might have mainly depended.
Sept. 30A prevalence of westerly wind detained us in Margate Roads until the evening of the 30th September. It suddenly shifted to the eastward at six p.m., when we weighed, and beat round the Foreland; before midnight, we hove to for a few minutes in the Downs, to discharge our pilot, and to enable the Terror to join company.
We made good way down Channel until after Oct. 3.noon of the 3d October, when, abreast of the Start Point, we encountered a strong south-westerly gale; but, being unwilling to lose more time by entering any of the Channel ports, we kept the sea, and were gratified to find our ships behave well throughout the gale, although much deeper laden than we considered desirable. During the night of the gale the Terror parted company; but, as our run to Madeira, the first appointed rendezvous, was so short a distance, we proceeded without delay on our voyage alone.
On the morning of the 5th we were off the Oct 5.Lizard, the last point of the coast of England seen by us, and from which therefore we took our departure. It is not easy to describe the joy and lightheartedness we all felt as we passed the entrance of the Channel, bounding before a favourable