Accidents > Dangers of the deep, or, Narratives of shipwreck and adventure at sea

138 DESERTION OP CAPTAIN CHEAP.
had seen a very large beast in the woods; but
their description of it was too imperfect to be
relied upon.
CHAPTER V.
DKSKRTION OP CAPTAIN CHEAP.
The long-boat being near finished, some of
our company were selected to go out in the
barge, in order to reconnoitre the coast to the
southward, which might assist us in the navi¬
gation we were going upon. This party con¬
sisted of Mr. Bulkely, Mr. Jones, the purser,
myself, and ten men. The first night, we
put into a good harbour, a few leagues to the
southward of Wager’s Island; where finding
a large bitch big with puppies, we regaled
upon them. In this expedition we had our
usual bad weather, and breaking seas, which
were grown to such a height the third day,
that we were obliged, through distress, to push
in at the first inlet we saw at hand. This we
had no sooner entered, than we were pre¬
sented with a view of a fine bay, in which
having secured the barge, we went ashore;