Note 116 — THE OBSERVATIONS OF SIR RICHARD HAWKINS, KNIGHT, IN HIS VOYAGE INTO THE SOUTH SEA. (continued 2)
Reading edition
On a still night, unless the attention of the helmsman be continually excited, it is quite possible that he get into a dreamy state and, if at the same time, the officer of the watch is thinking of “those far away,” the ship may be run for a time some points off her course. In the preceding section, Sir Richard well describes the difficulty of distinguishing betwixt a sandy shore and the water, on a calm bright night.