Their anchorage was in three and a half fathom water, and the ground swell, which then set in, heaved the vessel up and down in such a frightful manner, that they expected every moment to see the chain cable break.  As soon as they dropped their anchor, the tide rushed past the vessel at the rate of eight miles an hour.  After the ebb tide had ceased running, the swell gradually subsided, and the vessel rode easily.

The mate was again sent to sound the bar, and in about three hours afterwards, returned with the information that two fathoms and three quarters was the deepest water he could find.  The bar extended across the mouth of the river in the form of a crescent, leaving a very narrow and shallow entrance for vessels in the middle, which was generally concealed by the surf and foam of the adjacent breakers.  When the wind is light and the tide high, and the surface of the water smooth, excepting in a few places, the bar is then most dangerous.  They observed several fires made by the natives on the beach, which were supposed to be signals for them to return.

They passed a restless and most unpleasant night.  The captain and the people were much alarmed for the safety of the brig.  The heavy ground swell, which set in, increased by the strength of the tide, caused her to pitch and labour so hard, that a man was placed to watch the cable, and give notice the moment it complained, a technical expression, which meant, the moment it gave signs of breaking.  Daylight had scarcely dawned, when the pall of the windlass broke.  The purpose of this was to prevent the windlass from turning round on its axis against any strain to which it might be subjected, and consequently it was no sooner broken, than the windlass flew round with incredible velocity, having nothing to resist the strain of the cable, which was passed round it.  The chain cable ran out so swiftly, that in half a minute the windlass was broken to atoms.  The two Landers with their people rendered all the assistance in their power to prevent the ship from drifting.  They succeeded in fastening the cable to ring bolts in the deck, until they got sufficient of it clear to go round the capstan, which they had no sooner effected, than the ring bolts were fairly drawn out of the deck by the strain on the cable.

About eight in the evening, a terrific wave, called by sailors a sea, struck the vessel with tremendous force, and broke the chain cable.  “The cable is gone,” shouted a voice, and the next instant the captain cried out in a firm, collected tone, “Cut away the kedge,” which was promptly obeyed, and the vessel was again stopped from drifting among the breakers.  The man who had been stationed to look out on the cable, came running aft on deck, as soon as he had given notice of the danger, calling out that all was over.  “Good God!” was the passionate exclamation of every one, and a slight confusion ensued.  But the captain was prepared for the worst, he gave his orders with firmness, and behaved with promptness and intrepidity.