To return, however, to the voyage. Her next rendezvous was at Porto Santo, a small island on the east coast of the island of Madeira. On July 4th, about six o’clock in the morning, land was signalled. This proved to be the island of Porto Santo; and she brought up about two miles off the principal town early in the afternoon, having made the voyage from Sheerness in exactly eleven days. Here the squadron was joined by the _Warrior_, _Black Prince_, and _Lapwing_ (gunboat), the _Helicon_ leaving them for Lisbon. Towards nightfall they started once more in the following order, passing to the south of Bermuda. The _Black Prince_ and _Warrior_ led the team, towing the _Bermuda_, the _Terrible_ being towed by her in turn, to prevent yawing, and the _Lapwing_ following close on the heels of the _Terrible_. All went well until the 8th, when the breeze freshened, the dock rolling as much as ten degrees. Towards eight o’clock in the evening a mighty crash was heard, and the whole squadron was brought up by signal from the lighthouses. On examination it was found that the _Bermuda_ had carried away one of the chains of her immense rudder, which was swaying to and fro in a most dangerous manner. The officers and men, however, went to work with a will, and by one o’clock the next morning all was made snug again, and the squadron proceeded on its voyage. During this portion of the trip, a line of communication was established between the _Bermuda_ and the _Warrior_, and almost daily presents of fresh meat and vegetables were sent by the officers of the ironclad to their unknown comrades on board the dock. On the 9th, the day following the disaster to the rudder, they fell in with the north-east trade winds, which formed the subject of great rejoicing. Signals were made to make all sail, and reduce the quantity of coal burned in the boilers of the four steam vessels. The next day, the _Lapwing_, being shorter of coal than the others, she was ordered to take the place of the _Terrible_, the latter ship now taking the lead by towing the _Black Prince_. The _Lapwing_, however, proved not to be sufficiently powerful for this service. A heavy sea springing up, the dock began to yaw and behave so friskily that the squadron once more brought to, and the old order of things was resumed.