90 
A VOYAGE TO 
[ East Cotist. 
1802. past five we came to, in 26 fathoms sand and shells, having reefs 
October. ° 
Sunday io. from S. by E., round by the east and north, to W. by S. ; but there 
were openings at N. N. W. ~ W. and N. E. by E., and we had the 
pleasure to see high breakers, five or six miles distant in the latter 
direction. The latitude here, from an observation of the moon, was 
2°° and longitude 150° 48' by time keeper. 
Monday ii. Next morning, the brig and whale boat went a-head, and we 
steered north, after them ; the eastern opening was choaked up with 
small reefs, and we had scarcely entered that to the west when Mr. 
Murray made the signal for danger, and hauled the wind to the 
southward. We did the same, round two inner shoals; and finding 
the bottom irregular, and more shallow than usual, dropped the 
stream anchor in 27 fathoms. The Lady Nelson was carried rapidly 
to the south-west, seemingly without being sensible of it, and I there- 
fore made the signal of recal ; but although favoured by a fresh 
breeze, she did not get up against the tide till past nine o’clock. 
We rode a great strain on the stream cable, and the ship taking a 
sudden sheer, it parted at the clinch and we lost the anchor; a 
bower was immediately let go ; but the bottom being rocky, I feared 
to remain during the lee tide, and in a short time ordered it to be 
weighed. Mr. Murray had lost a kedge anchor, and was then riding 
by a bower ; and when the signal was made to weigh, he answered 
it by that of inability. The tide was, indeed, running past the brig 
at a fearful rate, and I feared it would pass over her bows ; for she 
lay in one of the narrow streams which came gushing through the 
small openings in the outer reef. So soon as our anchor was pur- 
chased, a boat’s crew was sent to her assistance; and just before 
noon she got under sail. 
We beat up till one o’clock, towards the anchorage of the 
preceding evening; but the reefs being deeply covered, they could 
not be distinguished one from the other ; and having found a good 
bottom, in 35 fathoms, we came to, and made signal for the brig to 
do the same. Lieutenant Murray informed me that his anchor had 
