Narrative of a Voyage to Senegal in 1816 | Page 9

belong to the staff. He was an ex-officer of the marine,
who had just left an English prison, where he had been for ten years; he
certainly had not acquired there knowledge superior to that of the
officers on board, whom this mark of deference could not but offend.
M. de Chaumareys, while we were doubling Cape Barbas, presided at
the farce performed in passing the Tropic, while he who had gained his
confidence, was walking up and down the deck of the frigate, coolly
observing the numerous dangers, spread along the coast. Several
persons remonstrated against this management of the vessel,
particularly Mr. Picard the greffier of Senegal, who had struck upon the
bank of Arguin eight years before; this enlightened man declared at that
time that we were running into danger.
As soon as the sun's altitude was observed to ascertain our position, we
saw, on the quarter deck, Mr. Maudet, ensign of the watch, working the
day's work, (making out the reckoning) upon a chicken coop; this
officer who knows all the duties of his profession, affirmed that we
were on the edge of the reef; he communicated this to the person who

for some days past had given his counsel to the commander respecting
the course to be steered; he received for answer; never mind, we are in
eighty fathoms.[14]
If our course during the night had partly averted all our dangers, that
which was taken in the morning led us into them again. Mr. Maudet,
convinced that we were upon the reef, took upon him, to have
soundings taken; the colour of the water was intirely changed, which
was observed even by those who were the least used to recognise the
depth of the sea, by the appearance of the water; we even thought that
we saw sand roll amid the little waves that rose; numerous sea weeds
were seen by the ship's side, and a great many fish were caught. All
these facts proved indubitably that we were on shallow water: in fact
the lead announced only eighteen fathoms; the officer of the watch
immediately informed the captain, who gave orders to come a little
more to the wind; we were going before the wind the studding sails on
the larboard; these sails were immediately lowered; the lead was again
cast, and showed six fathoms; the captain gave orders to haul the wind
as close as possible, but unhappily it was too late.[A7][B1]
The frigate luffing, almost immediately gave a heel; it proceeded a
moment longer; gave a second and then a third; it stopped at a place
where the sounding line showed only a depth of five metres sixty
centimetres, and it was the time of high water.
Unhappily we were in the season of the high tides, which was the most
unfavorable time for us because they were going to decline, and we ran
a ground just when the water was at the highest; for the rest, the tides
do not much differ in these seas; at the time of full moon they do not
rise more than fifty centimetres more than usual; in the spring tides the
water does not rise above one hundred and twenty centimetres on the
reef. We have already said that when we grounded, the sounding line
marked only five metres, and sixty centimetres; and at low water it
marked, four metres sixty centimetres, the frigate therefore saved by a
metre: however, as soon as we had stranded, the boats which went out
to sound, met with places deeper than that, where we struck, and many
others not so deep; which made us suppose that the reef is very uneven
and covered with little elevations. All the different manoeuvres which
had been performed since the moment when we found ourselves in
eighteen fathoms, to that in which we struck, succeeded each other with

extraordinary rapidity: not above ten minutes passed. Several persons
have assured us that, if the ship had come entirely to the wind, when we
were in eighteen fathoms, the frigate might perhaps have got clean, for
she did not run wholly aground till she got to the west part of the reef,
and upon its edge.
We stranded on the 2d of July, at a quarter after three p.m. in 19° 36'
north latitude, and 19° 45' west longitude. This event spread the most
profound consternation; if in the midst of this disorder, there were any
men who remained collected enough to make observations, they must
have been struck with the extraordinary changes impressed on every
countenance; some persons were not to be recognised. Here you might
see features become shrunk and hideous; there a countenance which
had assumed a yellow and even a greenish hue, some men seemed
thunderstruck and chained down to their places,