"Saturday, October 9th. From 2 P.M. until 3 (after having weathered the East point of this shoal) we ran along its other side. At half-past 5 P.M. came to. From the mast-head shoals in every direction. At half-past 5 A.M. weighed in company with the Commodore and stood to the north-east. 9 A.M. Perceiving a strong ripple close to us and supposing it to be shoal water let go our kedge and made the signal of danger to the Commodore who also came to and sent his boats to sound as did we but found no less than 15 fathoms. At 11 A.M. the Investigator's whale-boat made the signal for shoal water and the Commodore made the signal to anchor which we immediately did in 22 fathoms, bottom small coral and shells. The Investigator also anchored. We found ourselves within a cable's length of a shoal and all round shoals of sand and extensive coral reefs. Latitude observed 20 degrees 51 minutes 38 seconds south.
"Sunday, October 10th. P.M. Sent the boat to examine the reefs of coral near us. At 4 P.M. the boat returned on board; found the coral to be of many different colours—blue, yellow, green, and in short in every colour we know of—found some very large cockles and a few small shells—found the tide to ebb to run due north-east not less than 2 1/2 knots but when it sallys over the flats and reefs it may be 5 knots. At half-past 4 P.M. weighed and sent the boat ahead to tow and got our sweeps on. At 45 minutes past 5 A.M. made sail in company with the Commodore stood on ahead with the Investigator's boat ahead of us sounding. This morning we passed a great deal of suspicious water but saw no rocks or shoals dry.
"Monday, October 11th. Stood on ahead of the Investigator broken water and reefs on both sides of us. At half-past 4 P.M. saw some very extensive reefs ahead, they seemed to train as far aft as our beam one each side of us. An appearance of an opening shows itself to the west-north-west as also one to the North, all else is broken water, reefs of coral and patches of coarse whitish sand or more probably coral. At half-past 5 A.M. weighed and made sail to the northward keeping ahead of the Investigator half a mile, and her boat ahead of us sounding.* (* "Next morning the brig and whale-boat went ahead and we steered after them. The east opening was choaked up and we had scarcely entered that to the West when Mr. Murray made a signal for 'danger' the Lady Nelson was carried rapidly to the south-east seemingly without being sensible of it...I made the signal of recall." Flinders.) After running on this course about a mile and a half and being then close up to the tail of the coral reef north-east of us we suddenly found ourselves in 4 fathoms of water and plainly saw the bottom consisting of large rocks of coral. Immediately made the signal of 'Danger' to the Commodore. We shoaled into 2 fathoms tacked and running south we found a very rapid tide with us and on passing between two reefs the current of tide I imagine could not be less than 6 knots. During this time the Investigator followed after us, but at 7 A.M. she made the signal to anchor. When she was a little brought up we had no bottom with 50 fathoms of line and on her breaking her sheer she at once broke the warp 65 fathoms from ye kedge, both of which we lost. I fancy it got round the top of a rock of coral as we have reason to suspect it foul ground. Immediately made all sail and stood towards the Investigator and the wind fortunately freshening we passed her and acquainted Captain Flinders with our loss. He told me to anchor near him.* (* "We rode a great strain on the strain cable, it parted and we lost an anchor. Mr. Murray had lost a kedge and was then riding by a bower." Flinders.) Accordingly at 9 A.M. we anchored but she quickly drove into the stream of tide, and there, to my surprise, the anchor held on. Answered signal 'Weigh,' tried to do so but found it impossible—held fast—in a little time the tide slackened somewhat and Captain Flinders sent a boat and men to assist in getting up our anchor, began to heave up and were fortunate enough to get it with the loss of one arm, the cable not much damaged—made sail after the Commodore. Received from H.M.S. Investigator 2 grapplings.* (* "Our anchor had swivelled in the stock. Sent Mr. Murray 2 grapnels, which were all that our losses could allow of being spared." Flinders.)
"Tuesday, October 12th. At daylight weighed in company with the Investigator and made sail to the northward. At half-past 7 A.M. We both came to...
"Wednesday, October 13th. At 1 P.M. weighed in company with the Commodore and made all sail; by half-past 2 P.M. reefs in sight from north to east-north-east..At daylight lay to for the Investigator who joined us by 7 A.M. On sounding we found the bottom altered from coarse sand, coral and broken shells to very fine sand and small shells...the wind favouring us the Commodore stood on. The appearance of the water this morning has been suspicious, however, I imagine it is caused by the sun's reflection, and being calm, the Investigator's boat has been ahead all morning. At half-past 10 A.M. the Commodore came to and we did the same with the two grapplings backing one another, and they held on.
"Thursday, October 14th. At half-past 5 P.M. reefs of coral in sight; body of them distant 2 1/2 or 3 miles. At daylight weighed in company with the Investigator and stood to southward; at half-past 7 A.M. reefs of coral in sight, three middling large rocks seen bearing south by east; we also at this time saw the land bearing west-south-west distant 14 or 15 leagues, made the signal of seeing it to the Investigator: by 8 A.M. perceived it was islands, three in number. At noon one island bore west by north distant 6 or 7 miles. This island appears very barren and rocky, and an island that, from its appearance took to be the Isle of Pines, next Watering Island south-south-east distant 16 or 17 miles.
"Friday, October 15th. 6 P.M. What I suppose to be the Peak of Pines near Watering Island bore south by east distant 22 or 24 miles: Barren Island west by south distant 6 or 7 miles: high hummocks of land west distant about 9 miles.
"Sunday, October 16th. At 4 P.M. a large island with a fire on it bore south-west by south distant 6 or 7 miles: a lowish island of rugged land south by east distant 7 or 8 miles: an island with two hills on it south-west by west distant 5 or 6 miles: a low island with several hillocks west-south-west distant 8 or 9 miles. At sundown passed within a quarter of a mile of a high perpendicular peak of one of Cumberland Isles, and at half-past 6 P.M. anchored in 20 fathoms with the small bower, bottom fine blue sand. Commodore anchored distant 1/4 of a mile. At 6 A.M. I went on shore in order to look for water as well as to see what the island produced, we cut down a couple of pines, fit one for a top-mast the other for a top-sail yard. On this island a number of pines are growing, some palm trees one of which Mr. Brown, the naturalist of the Investigator, thinks is not common. This island is not inhabited but seems occasionally to be visited. Two of the other islands are inhabited as on both of them were fires last night. On the north-west side is a beach of coarse coral and sand, on which a few dried shells were picked up, from this beach a considerable way out the bottom large coral rocks. A number of porpoises and sharks were seen about us this forenoon but none caught.
"Sunday, October 17th. At 6 A.M. weighed in company with the Investigator, made sail to northward; by noon the Cumberlands from south by south-west to west by north; and the Investigator east by south distant 4 miles. From the colour of the water and a long steady swell I judge we are nearly clear of the northern extremity of the reefs. I have now had several opportunities of seeing that from the want of our main and after keels we are so leewardly that the Investigator in 6 hours will get with ease 4 miles to windward of the brig.
"Monday, October 18th. Stood on after the Investigator. At 6 P.M. she anchored within half a mile of us, on which I immediately came to in 34 fathoms with the small bower. Saw a boat lowered and in half an hour Lieutenant Fowler came on board and informed me that Captain Flinders meant to part company in the morning with the brig and therefore to get all ready for that purpose.* (* The Lady Nelson sailed so ill "that she not only caused us delay but ran great risk of being lost. The zeal he (Lieutenant Murray) had shown...increased my regret...at parting from our little consort." Flinders.) At daylight hoisted out our long boat and sent her on board the Investigator. I received from Captain Flinders orders to proceed to Port Jackson with the Lady Nelson as fast as circumstances would allow. I also received a letter on service to His Excellency Governor King, as well as some private letters. Half-past 8 A.M. I took leave of Captain Flinders and returned on board, hove up. At this time the Investigator hoisted her colours and we did the same, she standing away to the westward and we to the southward. By 40 minutes past 10 A.M. we took our last view of H.M.S. Investigator, her top-gallant-sails just being in the vane of the horizon.* (* At "9 o'clock got under weigh and showed our colours to bid farewell to the Lady Nelson." Flinders.) At noon Cumberland Island in sight, a large one distant 10 or 11 miles. Discharged to H.M.S. Investigator, Mr. Lacy, Henry Willis and Thomas Shirly and received in lieu Jeremiah Wolsey and Nanbury (a native).* (* "Nanbarre, one of the two natives, having expressed a wish to go back to Port Jackson was sent to the Lady Nelson in the morning." Flinders.) Latitude observed 20 degrees 178 minutes 16 seconds south.