CHAPTER XXV

Summary

On the point of our departure from the island of St. Helena an accident happened that was like to ruin us. We had weighed our anchor at the shore end, and were about to weigh that toward the sea, when by ill—luck this latter was found to be fouled with an old cable which had been at the bottom of the sea a long while. This cable had been left, as was said, by some Hollander ships: it caused our anchor to run along its whole length, while we thought it was still holding to the bottom, and so the mischief arose.

The consequence was that the more force we applied the nearer our ship approached the shore. This we did not notice till we were quite close in; then the captain, perceiving the cause, gave order to cut the cable forthwith, and to leave the anchor behind and to set sail at once. The foresail and spritsail were immediately set; but this we had hardly managed ere the wind, which had till now been off shore, suddenly changed, and, coming from the sea, drove the ship on the ground, where she lay bedded in shallow water for the space of five hours. We were at our wits' end, especially when we saw some of the planks and boards of our hull come off, and, indeed, we gave ourselves up for lost.