156 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VI. 
fathoms, on the tail of one of the extensive banks 
which lie outside the entrance of that harbour to the 
distance of five or six miles from the land. We caught 
in two hours enough snapper to last the whole ship's 
company for many days. 
19th. — This morning I was awakened by Dr. Dorset, 
who told me that we were aground. As I was swing- 
ing in a cot, I could not feel any bumping, and treated 
his announcement as a joke. On his repeated state- 
ments, however, I put my foot on deck, and soon felt 
a tremendous bump. I dressed in haste and hurried 
on deck. 
We had trusted almost entirely to a chart with 
which we had been furnished by Lieutenant Macdon- 
nell in England, and which proved totally erroneous, 
omitting any description of a bank which lay in the 
midst of the main channel as drawn by him. As it 
was quite calm, we had been towing in with three 
boats ahead on the top of the flood-tide, and no break- 
ers had pointed out the shoal water. One cast of 
the lead had given twelve fathoms ; and the next, 
" quarter-less-three" and a heavy bump. A long 
rolling swell from the westward was increasing in 
force every minute. 
The usual measures to get the ship off were taken, 
but in vain. Captain Chaffers and the well-disci- 
plined crew exerted themselves most creditably. Five 
of our guns, three or four anchors and cables, a deck- 
load of spare spars which we had taken in at Hokianga, 
and several other heavy articles, were thrown over- 
board. Kedges were carried out and hauled upon, 
but with no effect. Some heavy mill-stones and 
paving-flags were got up out of the hold and rolled 
overboard. One of them was carelessly sent through 
our best whale-boat, which lay at the gangway. 
