As soon as the distressing accident that had occurred was known on board the Dick, Dr. Armstrong, a surgeon of the navy and a passenger in that ship, hastened on board to assist Mr. Montgomery in dressing Mr. Roe's hurt, which I found, to my inexpressible satisfaction, was not so grievous as might have been expected: his fall was, most providentially, broken twice; first by the spritsail brace, and secondly by some planks from the Frederick's wreck, which had fortunately been placed across the forecastle bulwark over the cat-heads: his head struck the edge of the plank and broke his fall, but it cut a very deep wound over the right temple. This unfortunate event threatened to deprive me of his very valuable assistance for some time, a loss I could but very ill spare, particularly when upon the point of returning to the examination of so intricate a coast as that part where we last left off.
At six o'clock in the evening the flood-tide began to set to leeward, and as night approached the appearance of the weather became very threatening, accompanied by a descent of the mercury; this gave me a very unfavourable idea of our situation: the wind was blowing clear of the reef, and raised a heavy sea; and the Dick was so close to us that we dared not veer cable, for fear of getting on board of her, which must have happened if either ship should break her sheer.
At half-past ten o'clock, during a very heavy squall, the cable parted, but from the precaution above-mentioned, the brig happily drifted with her head to starboard, and passed clear both of the Dick and San Antonio; the chain-cabled anchor was then dropped, and veered to ninety fathoms, which brought her up in fifteen fathoms, mud; in which birth she appeared to ride much easier than before. I was now very anxious about the lost anchor; and, having expressed a wish to inform Mr. Harrison of our situation, and to request him to recover our anchor in the morning if the weather would permit, Mr. Bedwell volunteered to go on board her; which, although a service of danger, was, if possible to be effected, absolutely necessary. The boat was lowered, and they shoved off, but as the crew were unable to pull it ahead, I called her on board again, which was most fortunate; for shortly afterwards the chain-cable parted also, and the brig drove with her head towards the shore.
1821. July 1.
We had now the prospect of being obliged to keep under sail during the remainder of the night. An attempt was made to veer, in order that, by laying to with her head off shore, we might have time to recover the cable, without endangering the security of the vessel; but, from the weight of the chain at the bow, this manoeuvre could not be effected; fearing, therefore, to drift any more to the westward, in which direction we were making rapid way, I was under the necessity of slipping the chain, by which we lost one hundred fathoms of cable, which we could but badly spare: being now freed from the impediment, the brig's head was placed off shore; and after making sail, we fired several muskets and showed lights, as signals to the Dick, who, it afterwards appeared, kept a light up for our guidance; but the weather was so squally and thick, with almost constant rain, that it was not seen by us. It was half-past twelve o'clock when we made sail to the North-East by East, deepening from fourteen to sixteen fathoms, and when the hillocky summit of Cairncross Island bore South by West, beyond which bearing we did not know how far we could proceed with safety; we tacked to the South-South-West, and proceeded in that direction until the island bore South, when we were in fourteen fathoms. Having thus ascertained the depth of this space, which was about three miles in extent, it was occupied during the remainder of the night; which, being very dark and squally, was passed by us in the greatest anxiety. At day-dawn we were joined by our companions, and, as it was not possible from the state of the weather to regain the anchors we had lost, made sail towards Turtle Island, on our way to which we passed Escape River: both of these places reminded us of former perils, but the recollection of our providential preservation on those occasions, as well as on many others during our former voyages, increased the grateful feelings which we now felt for our safety and protection during the last night, the anxieties and circumstances of which can never be obliterated from our minds.
Our course was directed entirely by the chart I had previously formed; for the weather was so thick that for the greater part of the way no land could be seen to guide us: by noon we had passed between Cape York and Mount Adolphus, and in a short time rounded the north end of Wednesday Island, and were steering between it and the North-West Reef.
After passing the rock off Hammond's Island, we steered West by South 1/2 South, but were obliged to haul up South-West by West to pass to the southward of a small shoal, some part of which was uncovered (the time of tide being nearly low water, spring tide): this shoal lies in a North 50 degrees West direction, from the low rocky ledge off the north end of Good's Island, and is distant from it about a mile and a half. The Dick being a little to leeward of our track, had four fathoms; but the least we had was five and three-quarters. This reef is not noticed in Captain Flinders' chart: at high water, or even at half ebb, it is very dangerous, from its lying in the direct track; but, by hauling over to the south shore, may be easily avoided.
At four o'clock we passed Booby Island, and steered West by South across the Gulf of Carpentaria.
July 3.
Between Booby Island and Cape Wessel, which we passed in sight of on the 3rd, we had thick gloomy weather, with the wind between South and East-South-East; and, after rounding the Cape had some heavy rain, in which the mercury, having previously fallen to 29.91, rose to 29.95 inches. Lightning from the east and west accompanied the rain, but the wind was steady, and did not freshen or lull during the showers.