COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
419 
When the tide left her dry, we proceeded to is 20. 
examine her bottom, and having stripped the Sept. 22 . 
copper off the stern-post, the full extent of the 
injury she had sustained was detected, and found 
to be greater even than our fears had anticipated. 
The after-part of the keel was rent for two feet in 
an horizontal direction, and its connexion with 
the stern-post and garboard streak so much 
weakened that, at the first impression, there 
was every reason to fear we could not remedy 
the defects sufficiently to ensure even an imme- 
diate return to Port Jackson ; but, when the full 22 — 28 . 
extent of our means were considered, it was 
thought not only possible to repair the injury, 
but to do it so effectually as to permit our com- 
pleting the voyage according to our original in- 
tention. 
As it now appeared certain that some con- 
siderable time must elapse before we could re- 
load the cutter, she was secured at the next tide in 
a situation nearer the high-water mark. At low- 
water a deep hole was dug under her bottom, to 
enable the carpenter to work with his auger ; and 
this operation was necessarily renewed every 
tide, since the hole was always found filled up 
after the high water. An armourer’s forge and 
tools were now much wanted, but the deficiency 
of an anvil was supplied by the substitution of a 
2 E 2 
