I conclude the
ragged part of the main keel must have done it when she swung in ground,
we tried in vain with 10 or 11 hands to lift it out of its bed. As the
whole of this part of the flats are quicksands with a strong suction,
bent a good warp to its crown to weigh it by when the tide rose. At
half-past 1 A.M. the flood came to us with much noise and about a foot
high, in 15 minutes we floated and hove up to our best bower. By 5 A.M.
began again to ground, by 6 A.M. fast: at half-past 7 A.M. Captain
Flinders went in his boat in search of deeper water and found one place
nearer inshore where he thought it advisable to shift the Lady Nelson to,
when the tide would permit. Upon the south shore we saw several native
fires.
"Thursday, September 16th. At 2 P.M. loosed sails, sheeted home and
hoisted them, weighed and stood in shore. Found the strength of the tide
here to be 3 1/2 knots.
"Friday, September 17th. At half-past 5 P.M. Captain Flinders returned
having found the arm
to terminate in shoals of sand. At 3 A.M. weighed and made sail in order
to join the Investigator but by half-past 4 A.M. we grounded and there
were obliged to lye from the ebb falling so fast. Captain Flinders, Mr.
Brown and the boat's crew left us. Here we had an opportunity of looking
at the vessel's bottom, the sand being firm. Found one sheet and a half
of copper torn off her garboard streak, one off the starboard bow, and on
the bows the anchor had torn the copper in some degree; from the want of
copper nails could not repair those hurts until we joined the
Investigator.
"Saturday, September 18th. At 2 P.M. weighed and began to work to
windward...anchored near the Investigator. A.M. I waited on Captain
Flinders and was advised to lay the Lady Nelson on shore in order to
repair her copper; in consequence of which Lieutenant Fowler and I went
to examine a sand inshore of the vessels and finding that sand fit for
the purpose, reported the same to Captain Flinders; got our main keel out
of the trunk, found 4 feet of it gone and also 4 feet of the after keel
carried away.* (* "The Lady Nelson...required some reparation, I
therefore desired Lieutenant Murray to lay his vessel on shore and get
these matters arranged to cut wood and be ready to sail in a week for the
Torres Strait." Flinders.)
"Sunday, September 19th. At half-past 6 A.M. weighed and ran into 5 feet
water. At half-past 8 A.M. the Investigator weighed and stood to the
eastward. At 9 A.M. we grounded; by noon we were able to replace part of
the copper torn off her bottom.
"Monday, September 20th. Fine weather throughout. By 3 P.M. she floated,
weighed, ran into 5 fathoms water and anchored. At 6 A.M. weighed and
grounded.
"Tuesday, September 21st. At 3 P.M. she began to float, by 4 hove her
off, weighed and ran into 5 fathoms water where we anchored. A.M. Sent a
party on shore to cut wood. Investigator still in sight.
"Wednesday, September 22nd. A party on shore cutting wood and stuff for
brooms. A.M. Received on board two boat-loads of wood; sent a party after
kangaroo, some were seen at a distance but none were shot. Shifted the
fore keel aft and the after one (when we had repaired it as well as we
could) forward. The main keel we could not make fit after our carpenter
had worked on it several days, I rather suppose the trunk is injured in
its inside.
"Thursday, September 23rd. Set up our rigging and stays fore and aft;
sent the carpenter on shore to cut spars to fit our several guns on.
"Friday, September 24th. Fine weather, moderate winds throughout. A.M.
Perceived the Investigator under weigh standing over to us.
"Saturday, September 25th. The Investigator in sight working towards us;
at half-past 8 A.M. she came to an anchor within half a mile of us. I
waited on Captain Flinders and informed him we were ready for sea.
"Sunday, September 26th. The Investigator struck her tents on shore.
Received from her gunner half a barrel of gunpowder and one quire of
musket cartridge paper, and 17 fathoms of old rope for lashing beams.
"Monday, September 27th. At half-past 6 A.M. Weighed in company with the
Investigator made all sail to the north-west. We were both obliged to
come to; the wind freshening, we weighed, but it again dying away we
anchored. At half-past 9.A.M. made sail.
"Tuesday, September 28th. At half-past 3 A.M. weighed in company with
H.M.S. Investigator and made sail to northward. At 6 A.M. spoke the
Commodore and received orders to keep ahead. A high island we passed this
morning south by west distant 12 or 14 miles,* (* North Point Island.) a
high short island under our lee north-west by west distant 10 or 11
miles. Long high land on our weather bow north-east by north distant 11
or 12 miles.* (* Percy Islands.) Latitude observed 21 degrees 52 minutes
41 seconds south.
"Wednesday, September 29th. Stood after the Commodore. At this time I
perceived that several of the islands in sight were covered with pines of
the same kind as Port Number 2.
