anchor unless the wind and current shifted; and therefore the Commodore
repeated his assistance, sending to her the Trial's boat manned with the
Centurion's people, and a further supply of water and other refreshments.
Captain Mitchel, the captain of the Gloucester, was under a necessity of
detaining both this boat and that sent the preceding day; for without the
help of their crews he had no longer strength enough to navigate the
ship. In this tantalising situation the Gloucester continued for near a
fortnight, without being able to fetch the road, though frequently
attempting it, and at some times bidding very fair for it. On the 9th of
July we observed her stretching away to the eastward at a considerable
distance, which we supposed was with a design to get to the southward of
the island; but as we soon lost sight of her and she did not appear for
near a week, we were prodigiously concerned, knowing that she must be
again in extreme distress for want of water. After great impatience about
her, we discovered her again on the 16th, endeavouring to come round the
eastern point of the island; but the wind, still blowing directly from
the bay, prevented her getting nearer than within four leagues of the
land. On this captain Mitchel made signals of distress, and our long-boat
was sent to him with a store of water and plenty of fish and other
refreshments; and the long-boat being not to be spared, the coxswain had
positive orders from the Commodore to return again immediately; but the
weather proving stormy the next day, and the boat not appearing, we much
feared she was lost, which would have proved an irretrievable misfortune
to us all. But the third day after we were relieved from this anxiety by
the joyful sight of the long-boat's sails upon the water, and we sent the
cutter immediately to her assistance, which towed her alongside in a few
hours. The crew of our long-boat had taken in six of the Gloucester's
sick men to bring them on shore, two of whom had died in the boat. And
now we learned that the Gloucester was in a most dreadful condition,
having scarcely a man in health on board, except those they received from