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

XETUKN TO MOUNT MISERY. 169
head to the sea all night, the sea every where
a-stern of us, running over hideous breakers.
In the morning, we designed standing over
for that island in which we had observed those
straight and lofty trees before mentioned, and
which Captain Cheap named Montrose Island;
but as soon as we opened the headland to the
westward of us, a sudden squall took the boat,
and very near overset her. We were instant¬
ly full of water; but by baling with our hats
and hands, and any thing that would hold
water, we with difficulty freed her. Under
this alarming circumstance, we found it advis¬
able to return back and put into the cove,
which the night before we were prevented
getting into. We were detained here two or
three days, by exceeding bad weather; so
that, had we not fortunately provided our¬
selves with some seal, we must have starved,
for this place afforded us nothing.
At length we reached Montrose Island.
This is by much the best and pleasantest spot
we had seen in this part of the world ; though
it has nothing on it eatable but some berries^
which resembled gooseberries in flavour : they
are of a black hue, and grow in swampy
ground ; and the bush or tree that bears them