Again on the first of August, 1843, I left St. Johns as commander of the Solway Frith, bound for London, with a crew of twenty-one all told. The owner, (Mr. W—— and wife,) were aboard. Proceeded down the bay of Fundy, very finely indeed; had nothing to mar our happiness, until we were in the chops of the channel. A fine breeze wafted us in the space of forty-eight hours into the Downs, where we came to anchor among three[284] hundred sail from all quarters of the globe. About sunset, one night, the wind freshened a little, and hauled around into the westward, increasing each moment in fury. Some of the ships parted from their anchors, others cut away their masts, and rigging, to prevent if possible their severing the cable, and falling back upon the sands; while some would slip their cable, and run for the north sea. At ten o'clock the gale had attained that height, I thought it best to lower the top-gallant yards and masts; and while in the act, the anchor started, and we ran stern-foremost towards the sands with the greatest rapidity. All were filled with the greatest terror. Knowing there was no time to be lost, I threw out the best bower, and payed out ninety fathom of cable, then the small bower with seventy fathoms. The desired effect was produced; the ship was stopped in her course. Our windlass was nearly cut off by the wearing of the chains. Life-boats were every where bounding upon the wave like feathers, while the ships were plunging and tossing madly about. By four, the next morning, all of our top-gallant masts and yards were upon deck; thus we lay until the day following, when Mr. W—— and lady took the life-boat, and went on shore, and thence to London by land. By the recommendation of the pilot, I chartered the steamer Lion to tow us to London. She towed us as far as the—— light on the roadstead of Sheerness, where we lay in wait for a tide, when she again towed us to the——, where we lightened her of her deck load, and of part of that in the hold, and moored to the East County dock, where the remainder of our cargo was discharged. We then hauled into a dry dock, in order to find our[285] leakage if possible. It was supposed, as this was the first voyage of the Solway Frith, some bolt-hole was left unstopped through mistake, which had also escaped the caulker's notice, which was, on examination, found to be the case. The ship being caulked, we hauled to the Timass Buoys to await orders. Here we remained but a few days, when Mr. W—— came on board, and ordered me to get ready for Mobile, Alabama, U. S. A. I immediately got my stores and ballast ready. Took on a pilot, and sailed for Mobile, Oct. 7th, 1843. Ran down the shore, and arrived at the Downs with a double-reefed top-sail breeze. Discharged our pilot at Deal, and stood down the channel. On the third day took our departure from the Lizard light bearing North.