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Updated: June 17, 2025
We owed our safety to the interposition of Providence, a good look-out, and the very brisk manner in which the ship was managed; for, as we were standing to the north, the people on the lee-gangway and forecastle saw breakers under the lee-bow, which we escaped by quickly tacking the ship.
Such were the thoughts which passed through his mind, as the most critical moment of all had arrived. Nearer and nearer the corvette drew towards the rocks. Now they appeared broad on the lee-bow now they were right abeam and at length many a bold seaman drew his breath more freely as they were seen over the quarter. The danger was passed.
It was while they were thus engaged the ship being at the time on the starboard tack, and consequently heading to the southward that a hail came down simultaneously from the fore and main royal-yards to the effect that a couple of sail were in sight, broad on the lee-bow.
A man at the fore-top-sail-yard sung out that there were eight or ten dark objects floating on the sea, some three points off our lee-bow. "Keep her off three points!" cried Captain Claret, to the quarter-master at the cun.
With this view, and favored by the wind, a course was shaped for Lochswilly, and away we scudded under close-reefed foresail and main-topsail, followed by a tremendous sea, which threatened every moment to overwhelm us, and accompanied by piercing showers of hail, and a gale which blew with incredible fury. The same course was steered until next day about noon, when land was seen on the lee-bow.
At this point Bunco was interrupted by a shout of "Land ho!" from the look-out at the masthead. "Where away?" cried Griffin. "On the lee-bow, sir." Instantly all eyes and glasses were turned in the direction indicated, where, in a short time, a blue line, like a low cloud, was faintly seen on the far-off horizon.
"A sail on the lee-bow," shouted the midshipman. "A lugger close-hauled standing across our course, sir." At that moment the captain came on deck. "She shows no colours," again shouted the midshipman. "We will speak her whatever she is," observed the captain. The order was given to trim sails, and the corvette was steered so as to cut off the lugger should she continue on her present course.
With a night full fifteen hours long before us, and knowing that we were fast driving on the land, anxiety and dread were on every face, and every mind felt the terrors of uncertainty and suspense. At length, about twelve o'clock, the dreadful truth was disclosed to us! Judge of my sensation when I saw the frowning rocks of Arran, scarcely half a mile distant on our lee-bow.
As Mulford used great caution, and had previously schooled Jack on the subject, this important point was successfully achieved. Then the mate put his helm down, and the boat shot up under the brig's lee-bow. Jack was ready to lay hold of one of the bow-sprit shrouds, and presently the boat was breasted up under the desired port, and secured in that position.
By three o'clock Dungeness was broad on the lee-bow; by four o'clock it was fairly abaft the beam; and when the passengers went on deck after dinner they found the ship in the act of weathering Beachy, though without very much room to spare, the wind evincing an inclination to veer round from the westward.
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