At five o’clock, in the morning of the 2d, we weighed, and towed with the tide, but at ten, having no wind, and finding that we drove again to the eastward, we anchored, with the stream anchor in fifteen fathom, upon a bank which lies about half a mile from the north shore: after veering about two-thirds of a cable, we had five and forty fathom along-side, and still deeper water at a little distance. The south point of Saint Jerom’s Sound bore N.N.E. distant two miles, and Cape Quod W.S.W. distant about eight miles. From the south point of Saint Jerom’s Sound, to Cape Quod, is three leagues, in the direction of S.W. by W. The tides in this Reach are exceedingly strong, though very irregular: we found them set to the eastward from nine o’clock in the morning till five o’clock the next morning, and the other four hours, from five to nine, they set to the westward. At twelve o’clock at night, it began to blow very hard at W.N.W. and at two in the morning, the ship drove off the bank: we immediately hove the anchor up, and found both the flukes broken off: till three o’clock we had no ground, and then we drove into sixteen fathom, at the entrance of Saint Jerom’s Sound; as it still blew a storm, we immediately let go the best bower, and veered to half a cable. The anchor brought the ship up at so critical a moment, that we had but five fathom, and even that depth was among breakers. We let go the small bower under foot, and at five, finding the tide set to the westward, and the weather

Voyaging Accounts