Miles to the South-South-East before it fell quite Calm. We both
sounded now and several times before, but had not bottom with 140 fathoms
of line.* (* The description which follows, of the situation of the ship,
and the occurrences until she was safely anchored inside the Barrier
Reef, is from the Admiralty copy, as it is much fuller than that in Mr.
Corner's.) A little after 4 o'clock the roaring of the surf was plainly
heard, and at daybreak the Vast foaming breakers were too plainly to be
seen not a mile from us, towards which we found the ship was carried by
the Waves surprisingly fast. We had at this time not an air of Wind, and
the depth of water was unfathomable, so that there was not a possibility
of anchoring. In this distressed Situation we had nothing but Providence
and the small Assistance the Boats could give us to trust to; the Pinnace
was under repair, and could not immediately be hoisted out. The Yawl was
put in the Water, and the Longboat hoisted out, and both sent ahead to
tow, which, together with the help of our sweeps abaft, got the Ship's
head round to the Northward, which seemed to be the best way to keep her
off the Reef, or at least to delay time. Before this was effected it was
6 o'clock, and we were not above 80 or 100 yards from the breakers. The
same sea that washed the side of the ship rose in a breaker prodidgiously
high the very next time it did rise, so that between us and destruction
was only a dismal Valley, the breadth of one wave, and even now no ground
could be felt with 120 fathom. The Pinnace was by this time patched up,
and hoisted out and sent ahead to Tow. Still we had hardly any hopes of
saving the ship, and full as little our lives, as we were full 10 Leagues
from the nearest Land, and the boats not sufficient to carry the whole of
us; yet in this Truly Terrible Situation not one man ceased to do his
utmost, and that with as much Calmness as if no danger had been near. All
the dangers we had escaped were little in comparison of being thrown upon
this reef, where the Ship must be dashed to pieces in a Moment. A reef
such as one speaks of here is Scarcely known in Europe. It is a Wall of
Coral Rock rising almost perpendicular out of the unfathomable Ocean,
always overflown at high Water generally 7 or 8 feet, and dry in places
at Low Water. The Large Waves of the Vast Ocean meeting with so sudden a
resistance makes a most Terrible Surf, breaking Mountains high,
especially as in o