Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/352

On the 30th, at break of day, we discovered to the N.W.W. a very high mountain furrowed near its summits by longitudinal excavations of a great depth. This was the Cape of King William. We afterwards observed the western coast of New Britain, for which we steered under full sail, in order to get before night to the northward of the straits of Dampier. The sun being in our face, the man at the mast-head could not perceive timely enough a flat over which we passed about eight in the morning, the surge running very high. After getting clear of this, we thought ourselves out of all danger; but about three quarters of an hour after, we found ourselves between two shoals very near to each other, which inclosed us in such a manner, that it was impossible to pass through with the south-south-east wind, which drove us farther and farther in. The Commander gave orders immediately to put about; but there was not time sufficient to perform this manœuvre, before our vessel drove towards the shoals to the northward, where we expected she would soon be wrecked, when Citizen Gicquel cried from the mast-head that he saw a passage between the rocks which, though very narrow, was yet wide enough for our vessel to sail through. We immediately steered for this passage, and were at length extricated from oneof