Tuesday, 12th June, 1770
Fortunately, we had little wind, fine weather, and a smooth sea, all this 24 hours, which in the P.M. gave us an opportunity to carry out the 2 bower anchors, one on the starboard quarter, and the other right astern, got blocks and tackles upon the cables, brought the falls in abaft and hove taut. By this time, it was 5 o’clock p.m.; the tide we observed now began to rise, and the leak increased upon us, which obliged us to set the third pump to work, as we should have done the fourth also, but could not make it work. At 9 the ship righted, and the leak gained upon the pumps considerably. This was an alarming and, I may say, terrible circumstance, and threatened immediate destruction to us. However, I resolved to risk all, and heave her off in case it was practical, and accordingly turned as many hands to the capstan and windlass as could be spared from the pumps; and about 20 minutes past 10 o’clock, the ship floated, and we hove her into deep water, having at this time 3 feet 9 inches of water in the hold. This done, I sent the longboat to take up the stream anchor, got the anchor, but lost the cable among the rocks; after this, turned all hands to the pumps, the leak increasing upon us.
A mistake soon after happened, which for the first time caused fear to approach upon every man in the ship. The man that attended the well took the depth of water above the ceiling; he, being relieved by another who did not know in what manner the former had sounded, took the depth of water from the outside plank, the difference being 16 or 18 inches, and made it appear that the leak had gained this upon the pumps in a short time. This mistake was no sooner cleared up than it acted upon every man like a charm; they redoubled their vigour, insomuch that before 8 o’clock in the morning, they gained considerably upon the leak. We now hove up the best bower, but found it impossible to save the small bower, so cut it away at a whole cable; got up the fore topmast and foreyard, warped the ship to the South-East, and at 11 got under sail, and stood in for the land, with a light breeze at East-South-East. Some hands employed sewing oakum, wool, etc., into a lower steering sail to fother the ship; others employed at the pumps, which still gained upon the leak.
Wednesday, 13th June, 1770
In the P.M. had light airs at East-South-East, with which we kept edging in for the land. Got up the main topmast and main yard, and having got the sail ready for fothering the ship, we put it over under the starboard fore chains, where we suspected the ship had suffered most, and soon after the leak decreased, so as to be kept clear with one pump with ease; this fortunate circumstance gave new life to everyone on board.
It is much easier to conceive than to describe the satisfaction felt by everybody on this occasion. But a few minutes before our utmost wishes were to get hold of some place upon the main, or an island, to run the ship ashore, where out of her materials we might build a vessel to carry us to the East Indies; no sooner were we made sensible that the outward application to the ship’s bottom had taken effect, than the field of every man’s hopes enlarged, so that we thought of nothing but ranging along the shore in search of a harbour, where we could repair the damages we had sustained. In justice to the ship’s company, I must say that no men ever behaved better than they have done on this occasion; animated by the behaviour of every gentleman on board, every man seemed to have a just sense of the danger we were in, and exerted himself to the very utmost. The ledge of rocks, or shoal, we have been upon, lies in the latitude of 15 degrees 45 minutes, and about 6 or 7 leagues from the mainland; but this is not the only shoal that lay upon this part of the coast, especially to the northward, and one which we saw to the southward, the tail of which we passed over when we had the uneven soundings 2 hours before we struck. A part of this shoal is always above water, and looks to be white sand; part of the one we were upon was dry at low water, and in that place consists of sand and stones, but everywhere else coral rocks. At 6 we anchored in 17 fathoms, about 5 or 6 leagues from the land, and one from the shoal. At this time the ship made about 15 inches water per hour. At 6 a.m. weighed and stood to the northwest, edging in for the land, having a gentle breeze at South-South-East. At 9 we passed close without 2 small low islands, lying in the latitude of 15 degrees 41 minutes, and about 4 leagues from the main; I have named them Hope Islands, because we were always in hopes of being able to reach these islands. At noon we were about 3 leagues from the land, and in the latitude of 15 degrees 37 minutes South; the northernmost part of the main in sight bore North 30 degrees West, and the above islands extending from South 30 degrees East to South 40 degrees East. In this situation had 12 fathoms water and several sandbanks without us. The leak now decreases, but for fear it should break out again we got the sail ready filled for fothering; the manner this is done is thus: We mix oakum and wool together (but oakum alone would do), and chop it up small, and then stick it loosely by handfuls all over the sail, and throw over it sheep dung or other filth. Horse dung for this purpose is the best. The sail thus prepared is hauled under the ship’s bottom by ropes, and if the place of the leak is uncertain, it must be hauled from one part of her bottom to another until one finds the place where it takes effect. While the sail is under the ship, the oakum, etc., is washed off, and part of it carried along with the water into the leak, and in part stops up the hole. Mr. Monkhouse, one of my midshipmen, was once in a merchant ship which sprung a leak, and made 48 inches water per hour; but by this means was brought home from Virginia to London with only her proper crew; to him I gave the direction of this, who executed it very much to my satisfaction.
Thursday, 14th June, 1770
P.M., had a gentle breeze at South-East by East. Sent the master, with 2 boats as well, to sound ahead of the ship, as to look out for a harbour where we could repair our defects, and put the ship on a proper trim, both of which she now very much wanted. At 3 saw an opening that had the appearance of a harbour; stood off and on while the boats were examining it, who found that there was not a sufficient depth of water for the ship. By this time it was almost sunset, and seeing many shoals about us, we anchored in 4 fathoms about 2 miles from the shore, the mainland extending from North 1/2 East to South by East 1/2 East. At 8 o’clock the pinnace, in which was one of the mates, returned on board, and reported that they had found a good harbour about 2 leagues to leeward. In consequence of this information, we, at 6 a.m., weighed and ran down to it, first sending 2 boats ahead to lay upon the shoals that lay in our way; and notwithstanding this precaution, we were once in 3 fathoms with the ship. Having passed these shoals, the boats were sent to lay in the channel leading into the harbour. By this time it began to blow so much that the ship would not work, having missed stays twice; and being entangled among shoals, I was afraid of being driven to leeward before the boats could place themselves, and therefore anchored in 4 fathoms about a mile from the shore, and then made the signal for the boats to come on board, after which I went myself and buoyed the channel, which I found very narrow, and the harbour much smaller than I had been told, but very convenient for our purpose. At noon, latitude observed 15 degrees 26 minutes South.
Friday, 15th June, 1770
A fresh gale at South-East and cloudy weather, attended with showers of rain. In the night, as it blew too fresh to break the ship loose to run into the harbour, we got down the topgallant yards, unbent the mainsail, and some of the small sails; got down the foretopgallant mast, and the jib boom and spritsailyard in, intending to lighten the ship forward as much as possible, in order to lay her ashore to come at the leak.
Saturday, 16th June, 1770
Strong gales at South-East, and cloudy, hazy weather, with showers of rain. At 6 o’clock in the a.m. it moderated a little, and we hove short, intending to get under sail, but was obliged to desist, and veer away again; some people were seen ashore today.
Sunday, 17th June, 1770
Most part strong gales at South-East, with some heavy showers of rain in the p.m. At 6 a.m., being pretty moderate, we weighed and ran into the harbour, in doing of which we ran the ship ashore twice. The first time she went off without much trouble, but the second time she stuck fast; but this was of no consequence any further than giving us a little trouble, and was no more than what I expected as we had the wind. While the ship lay fast, we got down the foreyard, foretopmast, booms, etc., overboard, and made a raft of them alongside.
Monday, 18th June, 1770
Fresh gales and cloudy, with showers of rain. At 1 p.m. the ship floated, and we warped her into the harbour, and moored her alongside of a steep beach on the south side; got the anchors, cables, and all the hawsers ashore. In the a.m. made a stage from the ship to the shore, erected 2 tents, one for the sick, and the other for the stores and provisions; landed all the empty casks and part of the provisions, and sent a boat to haul the seine, which returned without success.