inches. At 8, being high water, hauld her bow close
ashore, but Keept her stern afloat, because I was afraid of Neaping her,*
(* I.e., Having her so far on shore that they could not heave her off at
Neap tide.) and yet it was necessary to lay the whole of her as near the
ground as possible.* (* The town of Cooktown now stands where the
Endeavour was beached, and the (as near as can be judged) exact spot is
marked by a monument.) At 2 a.m. the Tide left her, which gave us an
Opportunity to Examine the Leak, which we found to be at her Floor Heads,
a little before the Starboard Fore Chains; here the Rocks had made their
way thro' 4 planks, quite to, and even into the Timbers, and wounded 3
more. The manner these planks were damaged--or cut out, as I may say--is
hardly credible; scarce a Splinter was to be seen, but the whole was cut
away as if it had been done by the Hands of Man with a blunt-edge Tool.
Fortunately for us the Timbers in this place were very close; other wise
it would have been impossible to have saved the Ship, and even as it was
it appeared very extraordinary that she made no more water than what she
did. A large peice of Coral rock was sticking in one Hole, and several
peices of the Fothering, small stones, etc., had made its way in, and
lodged between the Timbers, which had stopped the Water from forcing its
way in in great Quantities. Part of the Sheathing was gone from under the
Larboard bow, part of the False Kiel was gone, and the remainder in such
a Shatter'd Condition that we should be much better off if it was gone
also; her Forefoot and some part of her Main Kiel was also damaged, but
not Materially. What damage she may have received abaft we could not see,
but believe not much, as the Ship makes but little water, while the Tide
Keeps below the Leak forward. At 9 the Carpenters went to work upon the
Ship, while the Armourers were buisy making Bolts, Nails, etc.

Saturday, 23rd. Winds South Easterly, a fresh Gale and fair weather.
Carpenters employed Shifting the Damaged planks as long as the tide would
permit them to work. At low water P.M. we examined the Ship's bottom
under the Starboard side, she being dry as far aft as the After-part of
the Fore Chains; we could not find that she had received any other damage
on this side but what has been mentioned. In the morning I sent 3 Men
into the Country to shoot Pidgeons, as some of these birds had been seen
flying about; in the evening they return'd