An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 1: With Remarks on the Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. of The; Native Inhabitants of That Country. to Which Are Added, Some; Particulars of New Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From; The Mss. of Lieutenant-Governor King.Collins, David
History
An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 1: With Remarks on the Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. of The; Native Inhabitants of That Country. to Which Are Added, Some; Particulars of New Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From; The Mss. of Lieutenant-Governor King.
Collins, David
New South Wales -- Description and travel
Captain Hunter was extremely fortunate in having a short passage hence to
Norfolk Island, arriving there in seven days after he sailed. The
soldiers, and a considerable part of the convicts, were immediately
landed in Cascade Bay, which happened at the time to be the leeward side
of the island. Bad weather immediately ensued, and for several days, the
provisions could not be landed, so high was the surf occasioned by it.
This delay, together with a knowledge that the provisions on the island
were not adequate to the additional numbers that were now to be
victualled, caused him to be particularly anxious to get the provisions
on shore. The bad weather had separated the _Sirius_ from the _Supply_;
but meeting with a favourable slant of wind on the 19th, Captain Hunter
gained the island from which he had been driven, and stood for Sydney
Bay, at the south end of it, where he found the _Supply_; and it being
signified by signal from the shore (where they could form the best
judgment) that the landing might be effected with any boat, he brought to
in the windward part of the bay, with the ship's head off the shore, got
out the boats, and loaded them with provisions. When the boats had put
off from the ship, it being perceived that she settled very much to
leeward, the tacks were got on board, and every sail set that was
possible to get her free from the shore. Notwithstanding which, she could
not weather the reef off the south-west end of the bay, the wind having
at that time very unfavourably shifted two points. The ship was then
thrown in stays, which she missed, being with great difficulty wore clear
of the breakers, and brought to the wind on the other tack, when every
sail was again set. Finding that she still drifted fast upon the shore,
another attempt was made to stay her; but being out of trim, it did not
succeed. All the sheets and hallyards were then ordered to be let fly,
and an anchor to be cut away; but before it reached the ground, she
struck with violence on the reef, very soon bulged, and was irrecoverably
lost. Her officers and people were all saved, having been dragged on
shore, through the surf, on a grating.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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