## they had hoisted it up ##

"they had uplifted it"

##  sandbars of Syrtis ##

Sandbars are very shallow areas in the sea where ships can get stuck in the sand. "Syrtis" is located on the coast of Libya, northern Africa. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

## were driven along ##

“had to go in whatever direction the wind blew us" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])