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[Page 3]
and when Night closed in we lost sight of her. We continued to carry a press of sail all Night in order to fetch as far to Windward as Port Dalrymple, which was accomplished by 10 o'Clock next Morning. Having ascertain'd the Port we stood off from the Land in hopes of meeting the Francis, but after spending a considerable part of the day without success, and fearing she might have fallen to Leeward, I saw little brobability [probability] of the Settlement ever being formed, unless some risk was run, I therefore bore up, in dark cloudy Weather, blowing strong at North West, right on the Shore, for a Harbour little, very little, known; hoping, should any accident happen the Ship, I might meet with every consideration for my Zeal. In passing between the Low Head and the Western Shoals I was much surprised to find we enter'd the Harbour so fast, after so much had been said about the rapidity of the Tide, for at this time it was only about two-thirds Ebb, and three days after the change of the Moon. At 8 P.M. it was nearly dark, and being in Mid-Channel about a Mile and a half below Green Island, we came to an Anchor with the Best Bower in 15 fathoms, over a hard bottom, and Moored with a whole Cable out to Sea and a half a Cable up the Harbour. During the Night the velocity of the Tide was try'd - the result, Flood and Ebb nearly alike, one Mile and one Mile and a quarter pr. hour. Notwithstanding this rate of Tide, I do not mean to assert it does not run much stronger in particular places, for it must be understood I have never been above middle Island, however I mean to aver a common four Oar'd Jolly Boat that row'd ill, could always, even in the height of the Springs, head the Tide between Green Island and Outer Cove. During the twenty four days we remain'd in this Port I do not think, in any place I had an opportunity of seeing, the Tide exceeded two and a half or three Miles pr. hour.
By Midnight it blew extremily hard in Squalls, and by Daylight, the Gale continuing, and the Wind having veered round to the South West, found it impossible to get the Ship under weigh, in such