TERRA AUSTRALTS. 
301 
Wreck Reef] 
deemed expedient to lighten her, that she might drive further up the 1S03 - 
coral bank and lie more easily. On sounding, the depth was found wednes. 17. 
to be 17 fathoms on the windward side, but no more than a few feet 
on the reef ; and Mr. Fowler ordered the main and mizen masts, 
and the starbord anchor to be cut away ; but on my suggesting to 
him the possibility of driving over the reef, with the rise of tide, and 
sinking in deep water as the Pandora had done, the lightening of 
the ship was not prosecuted/urther. 
Beyond the smooth water close under the lee, there was a 
line of breakers, and further on the sea appeared to be tranquil ; 
it therefore seemed probable that boats might approach the ship on 
that side, and if this information could be conveyed to captain Pal- 
mer of the Bridgewater, that something might be speedily done to- 
wards saving the crew ; and as it was likely that my influence with 
him might be greatest, and being a passenger in the Porpoise 
no charge made my presence on board immediately necessary, I 
proposed to make the attempt in the gig, to which Mr. Fowler as- 
sented. The boat being obliged to lie at a little distance from the 
ship, to prevent being stove, I jumped over-board and swam to her; 
and we pushed through the breakers to the smooth water, receiving 
two or three surfs by the way, from which we hardly escaped 
sinking. On examining into the condition of the boat, I found no- 
thing to bale out the water, and only two oars which did not belong 
to it ; and instead of the proper crew of four men, th6re were only 
three ; but under the thwarts were stowed away three others, the 
armourer, a cook, and a marine, who did not know how to handle 
an oar. These last were set to balirig with their hats and shoes, 
and we rowed .towards the Bridgewater’s light, keeping under the 
lee of the breakers. That ship was standing from us, and I saw 
that any attempt to get nearer before she tacked would be fruitless ; 
and even afterwards, it was much to be doubted whether, with two 
awkward oars and an overloaded boat, we could make any way 
against the sea on the windward side of the reef ; I therefore deter- 
