"Tuesday, September 7th. At 3 P.M. I received orders to get under weigh and move out ahead of the Investigator...At 5 P.M. weighed and at half-past 6 P.M. came to...At 5 A.M. finding she drove, let go our small bower. At 6 A.M. perceived the Investigator attempting to weigh, on which we (after some difficulty) weighed and began to work to windward. Observed the Investigator to drop her anchor again and clew down her sail. Came to in 6 fathoms with the small bower. Answered signal "I want to see you." Immediately went on board the Investigator and Lieutenant Fowler informed me they had parted a Bower Cable, that, their Stream not bringing her up, a second Bower was gone and that they were in 1/2 2 fathoms water, as the tide was rapidly falling it was obvious that she immediately must be got off. For this purpose I immediately, according to Lieutenant Fowler's plan, returned on board, veered away on our small bower to the end and let go our best bower; we then received a warp from the Investigator, made it fast on board and she was enabled to heave off into deeper water by the Lady Nelson. At noon she dropped her bower a little from our stern, cast off her warp and lifted our best bower...
"Wednesday, September 8th. Cloudy weather. At half-past 9 A.M. the Investigator shifted her berth into the stream...At half-past 6 A.M. weighed in company with the Commodore made all sail out of the Sound. At noon a large island in the entrance of Broad Sound south distance 5 miles, and the Investigator east distance 1 mile.* (* At this time the ships were within 2 miles of the north-east point of Broad Sound.)
"Thursday, September 9th. Stretching across Broad Sound, at half-past 1 P.M. suddenly shoaled our water at the same time saw the appearance of broken water ahead. At 2 P.M. spoke the Commodore who told me to steer west. A round mount north-west by west distance 3 miles. At 11 P.M. came to in company with the Commodore with best bower in 7 fathoms water. In the course of the forenoon saw several native fires on this part of the coast. Latitude observed 21 degrees 51 minutes 00 seconds south.
"Friday, September 10th. At 2 P.M. weighed and made sail to the south-east sounding from 1/2 3 at low water to 1/4 less 2 on the edge of a sand shoal on which the Investigator touched but immediately swung off, we continuing. At half-past 5 A.M. perceived the Investigator to be getting under weigh, made all sail down to the Commodore. Spoke him; he told me to work between the main and one of Northumberland Islands, and said he would follow us. Stood on to windward and tacked occasionally anchored in company with the Commodore at half-past 11 A.M. under a pleasant little island.* (* "The 4th flat Island is about one mile long and there is a smaller lying off it's south-east end. They are a little elevated and bear grass and small trees, but the shores are covered with mangroves and surrounded with flats of mud and sand." Flinders.) Observed Captain Flinders to go on shore, shortly afterwards I went on shore, some turtle shells were seen and the marks of natives of an ancient date. It appears that the whole of the distance between the Pier Head at Thirsty Sound and to the round mount before mentioned between the Northumberland Islands and the main has a number of sand shoals that can only be avoided by keeping the lead constantly going and a good lookout at the head otherwise a vessel would get aground, and the water falling so much and so rapidly would leave her high and dry...
"Saturday, September 11th. At 6 A.M. weighed ill company with the Investigator but she (on account of the shoals that lye off from the mainland to the island we anchored under) was obliged at 7 A.M. to drop her anchor. In the Lady Nelson we crossed the shoal in only 9 feet immediately on being over it we fell into 3, 4, and 5 fathoms. Again crossed it and ran up to the Investigator at 9 A.M., the flood having made strong over the shoal again.
"Sunday, September 12th. At quarter-past 5 P.M. tacked and stood on ahead of the Investigator until we were close to a very extensive sheet of mud lying all the way from the mainland. At this place an inlet of shoal water appeared to run a good distance into the country. At sundown tacked in company with the Investigator and stood off. At 8 A.M. tacked and stood into an inlet with several dry lands appearing in it, found a good strong flood against us. At half-past 9 A.M. came to.* (* "At 9 A.M. passed a fifth opening: anchored abreast of a hilly projection which I have named Upper Head." Flinders.) Lowered our boat and I went on shore with a couple of hands. Saw or found nothing worth notice—the soil is sandy, the shores lined with mangrove trees and inland a little distance we found gum trees and the palm; a few curlews and redbills were shot.
"Monday, September 13th. At half-past 8 weighed as per signal in company with the Commodore; found when near the Investigator the water suddenly to shoal from 6 to 3 to 1, where we touched the ground, however on heaving up our keel she went off into 2 fathoms, when we came to, observed the Investigator to ground, she was caught on a bank of quicksand in 11 feet at half-past 10 A.M. she floated, a little after Captain Flinders went away inshore, sounding. Several native fires in sight in different directions.
"Tuesday, September 14th. At half-past 1 P.M. made sail in company with the Investigator and worked to north-west where we anchored. On passing her Captain Flinders hailed us and told me to be ready at 8 o'clock in the morning to proceed to the south-east up the arm on Broad Sound. At 8 A.M. Captain Flinders and Mr. Brown on board. At half-past 8 A.M. weighed and made sail, at 40 minutes past 10 A.M. grounded in 8 feet of water, at 40 minutes past 11 A.M. weighed and made sail across the entrance of the river. From noon until 40 minutes past 1 P.M. stretching across the flats of this arm, sounding from 9 feet to 3 1/4 fathoms, where we anchored. Immediately moored with the kedge which in a little time she brought home, moored with the bowers per cable one way and 25 fathoms the other, found the tide of ebb to run at 4 P.M. 5 knots and 6 fathoms. At 5 P.M. we began to touch the ground and perceived that our main keel was gone, part of it coming up alongside. Sent some of the people out to look in what situation our anchor lay and it was found that the best bower had come home and the small parted 12 fathoms from the ring. I conclude the ragged part of the main keel must have done it when she swung in ground, we tried in vain with 10 or 11 hands to lift it out of its bed. As the whole of this part of the flats are quicksands with a strong suction, bent a good warp to its crown to weigh it by when the tide rose. At half-past 1 A.M. the flood came to us with much noise and about a foot high, in 15 minutes we floated and hove up to our best bower. By 5 A.M. began again to ground, by 6 A.M. fast: at half-past 7 A.M. Captain Flinders went in his boat in search of deeper water and found one place nearer inshore where he thought it advisable to shift the Lady Nelson to, when the tide would permit. Upon the south shore we saw several native fires.
"Thursday, September 16th. At 2 P.M. loosed sails, sheeted home and hoisted them, weighed and stood in shore. Found the strength of the tide here to be 3 1/2 knots.
"Friday, September 17th. At half-past 5 P.M. Captain Flinders returned having found the arm to terminate in shoals of sand. At 3 A.M. weighed and made sail in order to join the Investigator but by half-past 4 A.M. we grounded and there were obliged to lye from the ebb falling so fast. Captain Flinders, Mr. Brown and the boat's crew left us. Here we had an opportunity of looking at the vessel's bottom, the sand being firm. Found one sheet and a half of copper torn off her garboard streak, one off the starboard bow, and on the bows the anchor had torn the copper in some degree; from the want of copper nails could not repair those hurts until we joined the Investigator.