As soon as the weather moderated, we hove-to for her;
but, as she did not make her appearance, having, as we afterward
learned, been obliged to lie-to during the height of the gale, we
continued our course out of the Straits, and did not again meet
with the Griper till our return to England.
On the afternoon of the 16th, the sea being very high and
irregular, and the ship pitching with considerable violence, the
bowsprit was carried away close to the gammoning, and the foremast
and main-topmast immediately followed it over the side. The wreck
was quickly cleared; and, by the greatest activity and energy on
the part of the officers and men, the mainyard and mainmast were
saved, the latter having been endangered by the foremast falling
across the stay, and the former by the wreck of the main-topmast
and top-sail-yard lying upon it. Notwithstanding the continuance
of the gale, and the uneasy motion of the ship for the next two
days, we succeeded in getting up our jury masts so as to make sail
on the evening of the 18th.
On the 29th we made Buchaness, and on the following day, the wind
having come to the southward, so as to make our progress very
slow, I landed at Peterhead, accompanied by Captain Sabine and Mr.
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