and the cables paid out to the end; but as the depth was probably
unfathomable they had no effect, for she drifted on the reef and fell
over on her beam ends. The chief mate then cut her masts away, but the
bottom was soon bilged, and everything destroyed by the water, which
broke over the decks, and the ship became a perfect wreck. Happily the
upper part of the vessel kept together, on which the crew and passengers
collected. Soon after she struck, a vessel was observed three or four
miles to windward, high and dry upon the reefs, with her masts standing,
and royal yards across, and sails set, in which position she must have
been left by her crew.*

(*Footnote. The Flora, Sheriff, master.)

During the confusion that existed, one of the quarter-boats was lowered,
but immediately swamped, by which one man, named Price, was drowned. Soon
afterwards, three of the crew, namely G. Pigott, the third mate; L.
Constantine, the carpenter; and W. Gumble, one of the seamen, put sails,
provisions, and water, and arms, and all the carpenter's tools, into the
other quarter-boat, and lowered her down; and kept near the wreck during
the day and following night. The next day R. Quin and J. Wright, two
seamen, joined them, after which they refused to take any more; although
six of the crew made their way over the reef the next morning, and wished
to be taken on board. The boat, however, bore away, and was seen no more.

The master then, assisted by those who remained, attempted to make a
raft, which was not completed before the expiration of seven days. During
this interval they had managed to distil the contents of a cask and some
bottles of water from the sea, by the aid of the ship's coppers, and a
leaden pipe from the quarter gallery cistern, the whole of which they
placed on the raft with a basket containing beer, and a cask of pork.
Whilst they were on the wreck they were upon a daily allowance of two
wine glasses of distilled water, and a few pieces of damaged biscuit.

As soon as the raft was completed, they got upon it, but finding that it
was not buoyant enough to hold them, they threw over the water the pork
and beer. Still it did not support their weight, so the greater number
returned on board; leaving Mr. Moore the master, Mr. Grant the surgeon,
Captain and Mrs. D'Oyly, and their two children, their nurse, a native of
India, and Mr. Armstrong, passengers; also two seamen, named Lounce and
Berry, who determined to remain