An unfortunate accident disturbed the pleasure we felt at being so favoured by the wind; a sailor lad 15 years of age, fell into the sea, through one of the fore port-holes, on the larboard side; a great many persons were at the time, on the poop and the breast work, looking at the gambols of the porpoises.[8] The exclamations of pleasure at beholding the sports of these animals, were succeeded by cries of pity; for some moments the unfortunate youth held by the end of a rope, which he caught hold of in his fall; but the rapidity with which the frigate sailed, soon forced him to let go; a signal was made to acquaint the Echo with this accident; that vessel was at a considerable distance, and we were going to fire a gun to second the signal, but there was not one loaded, however we threw out the life buoy.[9] The sails were clewed up, and the ship hove to.  This manoeuvre was long; we should have come to the wind, as soon as they cried, “a man overboard,” it is true that somebody cried aloud from the poop, that he was saved; and a sailor had indeed caught him by the arm, but he had been obliged to let him go, because he would have been pulled overboard himself:  a boat was however let down; it was a six-oared barge in which there were only three men:  it was all in vain; and after having looked for some time, the boat came on board again without having found even the buoy.  If the unfortunate youth, who seemed to swim pretty well, had strength to reach it, he doubtless perished on it, after having experienced the most cruel sufferings.  The ship was trimmed, and we resumed our course.

The Echo rejoined us, and for some time she kept within hail; but we soon lost her.  On the 26th, we plied to windward during the night, fearing lest we should strike on the eight rocks, which are situated the most Northerly, in 34 deg. 45’, Latitude, and the most Southerly in latitude, 34 deg. 30’, so that the extent of this danger is about five leagues from North to South and about four leagues from East to West:  the most southerly rock is distant about forty leagues to the North, 5 deg.  East, from the East point of Madeira.

On the 27th, in the morning we expected to see the island of Madeira, we however proceeded to no purpose till noon, at which hour we made an observation to ascertain our situation.  The solar observation made us East, and West of Porto Santo; we continued on the same tack, and in the evening at sunset, the man at the mast head discovered, land.[10] This error in the arrival, was at least thirty leagues in the East.  It was attributed to the currents of the straits of Gibraltar; if this error really arises from the currents of the strait, it merits the attention of vessels which frequent these seas.  The whole night we proceeded with few sails up; at midnight we tacked, in order not to approach too near to the land.[A1]

The next morning at day break we saw very distinctly the islands of Madeira Porto Santo; on the larboard, were those called Desert; Madeira was at least twelve leagues off:  sailing before the wind we made nine knots, and in a few hours we were very near it.  For a considerable time we ran along the coast of the island at a small distance from shore:  we passed before the principal towns, Funchal and Do Sob.[A2]