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

150 DESERTION of captain cheap.
ly at their longest, and about midsummer in
these parts; but as to the weather, there
seems to be little difference in a difference of
seasons. Accordingly, on the 15th of De¬
cember, the day being tolerable, we told Cap¬
tain Cheap we thought it a fine opportunity
to run across the bay. But he first desired
two or three of us to accompany him to our
place of observation, the top of Mount Mise¬
ry; when looking through his perspective,
he observed to us that the sea ran very high
without. However, this had no weight with
the people, who were desirous, at all events,
to be gone. I should here observe, that Cap¬
tain Cheap’s plan was, if possible, to get to
the island of Chiloe; and if we found any
vessel there, to board her immediately, and
cut her out. This he might certainly have
done with ease, had it been his good fortune
to get round with the boats. We now launch¬
ed both boats, and got every thing on board of
them as quickly as possible. Captain Cheap,
the surgeon, and myself, were in the barge
with nine men; and Lieutenant Hamilton
and Mr. Campbell in the yawl with six. I
steered the barge, and Mr. Campbell the
yawl; but we had not been two hours at sea