the following appearances: The general formation of the coast in sight was
that of a slight curvature, within which the ship had so far drifted as to
be materially inside a line drawn from headland to headland. There was,
consequently, little hope of urging a vessel, crippled like the Montauk,
against wind, sea and current, out again into the ocean. For about a
league abreast of the ship the coast was rocky, though low, the rocks
running off from the shore quite a mile in places, and every where fully
half that distance. The formation was irregular, but it had the general
character of a reef, the position of which was marked by breakers, as well
as by the black heads of rocks that here and there showed themselves above
the water. The inlet was narrow, crooked, and so far environed by rocks as
to render it questionable whether there was a passage at all, though the
smoothness of the water had raised hopes to that effect in Mr. Leach.

As soon as captain Truck arrived at the mouth of this passage, he felt so
much encouraged by the appearance of things that he gave the concerted
signal for the ship to veer round and to stand to the southward. This was
losing ground in the way of offing, but tack the Montauk could not with
so little wind, and the captain saw by the drift she had made since he
left her, that promptitude was necessary. The ship might anchor off the
inlet, as well as anywhere else, if reduced to anchoring outside at all,
and then there was always the chance of entering.

As soon as the ship's head was again to the southward, and Captain Truck
felt certain that she was lying along the reef at a reasonably safe
distance, and in as good a direction as he could hope for, he commenced
his examination. Like a discreet seaman he pulled off from the rocks to a
suitable distance, for should an obstacle occur outside, he well knew any
depth of water further in would be useless. The day was so fine, and in
the absence of rivers, the ocean so limpid in that low latitude, that it