210 Voyage of Di%ovcry. 



from the forecastle. The vessel was at that time going right 

 before the wind at the rate of eight miles per hour ; and it 

 was so exceedingly dark, that the breakers, though tremen- 

 dously high,were not discerned till thev were within a quarter 

 of a mile. The helm was* instantly put down, and an at- 

 tempt made to brace round the yards, but before the ship 

 could be brought about she was amongst ihe reefs or shelves. 

 It was expected she would go down the instant she struck ; 

 but, providentially drifting on one of the reefs broadside- 

 ways, she heeled a little, and then remained immovable. 

 The situation now was dreadful ; so remote from land, the 

 ttigflt so dark and stormy, with the breakers driving over 

 the deck, and the vessel expected every moment to go to 

 pieces. Yet, for all this, the accounts aid, that the officers 

 find ship's company, having taken everv preeaution in their 

 power, remained as composed as if the vessel had been 

 riding at anchor. 



The people of the Cato and Bridgewater did not discern 

 the breakers so soon as those in the Porpoise. When they 

 did, they instantly hauled for the wind; but unfortunately 

 on opposite tacks, and so must have inevitably met one 

 another. To avoid this destruction there was no alternative 

 but for one of them to give way. This was done by the 

 commander of the Cato, the lesser vessel, under the .as- 

 surance of immediate assistance from the other; which ac- 

 cordingly poised and was saved, whilst the Cato went stern 

 on the reefs, and immediately sunk. The people clung to 

 the figgrag till the morning, when they found themselves 

 about half a mile distant from a coral sand bank, nearly as 

 much in circumference. This miserable asylum they all 

 reached, except two or three who perished; as also did the 

 company from the Porpoise, who found means of convey- 

 ing hither the ship's provisions and part of the stores. 

 Afterwards, captain Flinders and the commander of the, 

 Cato, with eiuht or nine hands, left the reef in the cutter 

 which belonged to the Porpoise, and reached Port Jackson, 

 a distance of more than 900 miles, in safety. From thence 

 the ship Rolla, in company with two schooners, one of 

 them commanded by captain Flinders, weighed on the 20th 

 of September, and made the fatal reef on the Slh of Oc- 

 tober, and relieved those who had remained there. On the 

 6th of December the Holla and schooners anchored safely 

 at Maeao, where they found fifteen or sixteen Jndiamen 

 nearly ready to sail, waiting for intelligence from Europe; 

 in some of which the gentlemen belonging to the Investi- 

 gator proposed taking their passage home* 



PHOSPHATE 



