[The Ship Aground on what is now called Endeavour Reef]
Wind at East-South-East, with which we steer'd along shore
North by West at the distance of 3 or 4 Leagues off, having from 14 to 10
and 12 fathoms water. Saw 2 Small Islands in the Offing, which lay in the
Latitude of 16 degrees 0 minutes South, and about 6 or 7 Leagues from the
Main. At 6 the Northermost land in sight bore North by West 1/2 West, and
2 low, woody Islands,* (* Hope Islands.) which some took to be rocks
above Water, bore North 1/2 West. At this time we shortened Sail, and
hauld off shore East-North-East and North-East by East, close upon a
Wind. My intention was to stretch off all Night as well to avoid the
danger we saw ahead as to see if any Islands lay in the Offing,
especially as we now begun to draw near the Latitude of those discover'd
by Quiros, which some Geographers, for what reason I know not, have
thought proper to Tack to this land. Having the advantage of a fine
breeze of wind, and a clear Moon light Night in standing off from 6 until
near 9 o Clock, we deepned our Water from 14 to 21 fathoms, when all at
once we fell into 12, 10 and 8 fathoms.
At this time I had everybody at
their Stations to put about and come to an Anchor; but in this I was not
so fortunate, for meeting again with Deep Water, I thought there could be
no danger in standing on.* (* The ship passed just northward of
Pickersgill Reef.) Before 10 o'Clock we had 20 and 21 fathoms, and
Continued in that depth until a few minutes before 11, when we had 17,
and before the Man at the Lead could heave another cast, the Ship Struck
and stuck fast. Immediately upon this we took in all our Sails, hoisted
out the Boats and Sounded round the Ship, and found that we had got upon
the South-East Edge of a reef of Coral Rocks, having in some places round
the Ship 3 and 4 fathoms Water, and in other places not quite as many
feet, and about a Ship's length from us on the starboard side (the Ship
laying with her Head to the North-East) were 8, 10, and 12 fathoms.
As
soon as the Long boat was out we struck Yards and Topmast, and carried
out the Stream Anchor on our Starboard bow, got the Coasting Anchor and
Cable into the Boat, and were going to carry it out in the same way; but
upon my sounding the 2nd time round the Ship I found the most water a
Stern, and therefore had this Anchor carried out upon the Starboard
Quarter, and hove upon it a very great Strain; which was to no purpose,
the Ship being quite fast, upon which we went to work to lighten her as
fast as possible, which seem'd to be the only means we had left to get
her off.
As we went ashore about the Top of High Water we not only
started water, but threw overboard our Guns, Iron and Stone Ballast,
Casks, Hoop Staves, Oil Jarrs, decay'd Stores, etc.; many of these last
Articles lay in the way at coming at Heavier. All this time the Ship made
little or no Water. At 11 a.m., being high Water as we thought, we try'd
to heave her off without Success, she not being afloat by a foot or more,
notwithstanding by this time we had thrown overboard 40 or 50 Tuns
weight. As this was not found sufficient we continued to Lighten her by
every method we could think off; as the Tide fell the ship began to make
Water as much as two pumps could free: at Noon she lay with 3 or 4
Streakes heel to Starboard; Latitude observed 15 degrees 45 minutes
South.
Joseph Banks Journal
In the mean time all kind of Preparations were making for carrying out anchors, but by reason of the time it took to hoist out boats etc. the tide ebbd so much that we found it impossible to attempt to get her off till next high water, if she would hold together so long; and we now found to add to our misfortune that we had got ashore nearly at the top of high water and as night tides generaly rise higher than day ones we had little hopes of getting off even then. For our Comfort however the ship as the tide ebbd settled to the rocks and did not beat near so much as she had done; a rock however under her starboard bow kept grating her bottom making a noise very plainly to be heard in the fore store rooms; this we doubted not would make a hole in her bottom, we only hopd that it might not let in more water than we could clear with our pumps.
In this situation day broke upon us and showd us the land about 8 Leagues off as we judgd; nearer than that was no Island or place on which we could set foot. It however brought with it a decrease of wind and soon after that a flat calm, the most fortunate circumstance that could Possibly attend people in our circumstances. The tide we found had falln 2 feet and still continued to fall; Anchors were however got out and laid ready for heaving as soon as the tide should rise but to our great surprize we could not observe it to rise in the least.
Orders were now given for lightning the ship which was began by starting our water and pumping it up; the ballast was then got up and thrown over board, as well as 6 of our guns (all that we had upon deck). All this time the Seamen workd with surprizing chearfullness and alacrity; no grumbling or growling was to be heard throughout the ship, no not even an oath (tho the ship in general was as well furnishd with them as most in his majesties service). About one the water was faln so low that the Pinnace touchd ground as he lay under the ships bows ready to take in an anchor, after this the tide began to rise and as it rose the ship workd violently upon the rocks so that by 2 she began to make water and increasd very fast.
At night the tide almost floated her but she made water so fast that three pumps hard workd could but just keep her clear and the 4th absolutely refusd do deliver a drop of water. Now in my own opinion I intirely gave up the ship and packing up what I thought I might save prepard myself for the worst.
The most critical part of our distress now aproachd: the ship was almost afloat and every thing ready to get her into deep water but she leakd so fast that with all our pumps we could just keep her free: if (as was probable) she should make more water when hauld off she must sink and we well knew that our boats were not capable of carrying us all ashore, so that some, probably the most of us, must be drownd: a better fate maybe than those would have who should get ashore without arms to defend themselves from the Indians or provide themselves with food, on a countrey where we had not the least reason to hope for subsistance had they even every convenence to take it as netts etc., so barren had we always found it; and had they even met with good usage from the natives and food to support them, debarrd from a hope of ever again seing their native countrey or conversing with any but the most uncivilizd savages perhaps in the world.
The dreadfull time now aproachd and the anziety in every bodys countenance was visible enough: the Capstan and Windlace were mannd and they began to heave: fear of Death now stard us in the face; hopes we had none but of being able to keep the ship afloat till we could run her ashore on some part of the main where out of her materials we might build a vessel large enough to carry us to the East Indies. At 10 O'Clock she floated and was in a few minutes hawld into deep water where to our great satisfaction she made no more water than she had done, which was indeed full as much as we could manage tho no one there was in the ship but who willingly exerted his utmost strength.
Sydney Parkinson Journal
On the 11th, early in the morning, we lightened the ship, by throwing over-board our ballast, firewood, some of our stores, our water-casks, all our water, and six of our great guns; and set the pumps at work, at which every man on board assisted, the Captain, Mr. Banks, and all the officers, not excepted; relieving one another every quarter of an hour.
About noon, the ship heaved much on one side; upon which five anchors were carried out, and dropt at different parts; while all the hands on board plied the pumps incessantly, hoping to have heaved her off the rock, but hoping in vain. At four o’clock in the afternoon it was low water, and the ship, in several places, grounded on the rock. Between nine and ten, the tide rose four feet, and the ship righted again; and, about ten, after some farther attempts to clear her, she providentially got off. This desirable event gave us spirits; which, however, proved but the transient gleam of sunshine, in a tempestuous day; for they were soon depressed again, by observing that the water increased in the hold, faster than we could throw it out; and we expected, every minute, that the ship would sink, or that we should be obliged to run her again upon the rocks.
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