nd twelve pounds beef, I was unable to send the required supplies
to the party in charge of the horses, and the sheep were too poor to be
fit for food. The Tom Tough reached Entrance Island on the 25th
September, and the next day anchored off Rugged Ridge; on the 27th was
proceeding up the river, and grounded on a ledge of rocks on the south
side of the river, about six miles below Mosquito Flats; and from that
date was never sufficiently afloat to be under control, but gradually
drifted up to about two and a half miles below Curiosity Peak. From the
time of getting on the rocks she had leaked considerably, and a large
quantity of stores had been destroyed or damaged, there being at one time
four feet of water in the hold; but by nailing battens and tarred
blankets over the open seams the leaks had been greatly reduced. The
stock of water on board the schooner having been exhausted during her
detention, Mr. Wilson had sent the boat up to Palm Island to bring down a
supply; but having greatly miscalculated the time requisite for this
expedition up the river, the distance being sixty miles, the sheep had
been kept several days without a sufficient supply of water, and a great
number had died.

21st October.

Proceeding down the river with Messrs. Baines and Flood in the long-boat,
the tide being unfavourable, we only reached Kangaroo Point.

22nd October.

Started at 2.0 a.m., and reached the schooner at 11.0 a.m., having been
delayed by the flood tide. The vessel had not moved during the last four
tides, and the leaks had in some degree stopped. She was so deeply bedded
in the sand that, though the bank was dry at three-quarter ebb, I could
not examine her bottom. The deck beams, however, were strained and
broken, and it was evident that the vessel had been much damaged by
resting on her centre, when the current had worked deep holes at the head
and stern. Only fifty-five sheep remained on board, and those in a
miserable condition. At 5.0 p.m. despatched Mr. Flood in the gig with one
month's provisions for the party at the camp; 8.0 p.m. the tide rose to
five feet on the bank, but the vessel only just floated in the hollow in
which she lay.

23rd October.

At 8.0 a.m. the tide rose to six feet on the bank, and the schooner was
moved her own length towards the channel in shore; at 10.0 a.m. the tide
ebbed, and she settled on an even keel. Mr. Baines having informed me
that Overseer Humphries had refused to assist i