FROM SYDNEY COVE. 511 was not a little surprised at her returning so soon ; and likewise 1700 being alone. My mind fell to foreboding an accident ; and on going down to get ready for waiting on the Governor, I desired the gunner to notice whether the people mustered thick on her decks, as she came in under the headland ; thinking in my own mind, what I afterwards found, that the Sirius was lost. The Supply brought an account that on the 19 th of March, about noon, the Sirius had, in the interval of loading the boats, drifted Account of rather in with the land ; on seeing this, they of course endeavoured ^^ ^'^^' to stand off; but the wind being dead on the shore, and the ship out of trim, and working unusually bad in staying (for she would not go about), just as she was coming to wind she tailed the ground with the after part of the keel ; and with two sends of the vast surf that runs there, was completely thrown on the reef of dangerous rocks called Point Ross. In this last extremity, they luckily let go both anchors and stopped the cables securely, and this, though it failed of the intention of riding her clear, yet caused her to go right stem foremost on the rocks ; by which means she lay with her bow opposed to the sea — a most happy circumstance ! a happy for had she lain broadside to — which otherwise she would have had ^^' a natural tendency to have done — it is more than probable she must have overset, gone to pieces, and every soul have perished. Her bottom bulged immediately, and the masts were soon cut away: and the gallant ship, upon which hung the hopes of the colony, was now a complete wreck. They brought a few of the officers and men hither : the remainder of the ship's com{)any, together with Captain Hunter, &c., are left there, on account of constituting a number adequate to the provisions, and partly to save what they possibly can from the wreck. I understand there are some faint hopes, if favoured with extraordinary fine weather, to recover most of the provisions ; for she carried a great quantity there, on the part of the reinforcement. The whole of the crew were saved to a man, by God's mercy, most providentially, on a coast so dangerous as to give but smail hopes of escaping on such an occasion ; every exertion being used, and all assistance received from the Supply and the colonists on shore. The passengers fortunately landed before the accident ; and I will just mention to you the method by which the crew were How the saved : — ^When they found that the ship was ruined, and giving JJy^^"® way upon the beam right athwart, they made a rope fast to a drift buoy, which by the surf was driven on shore. By this a stout hawser was conveyed, and those on shore made it fast a good way up a pine-tree ; the other end being aboard was hove taught. On this hawser was placed the heart of a stay (a piece of wood with a hole through it); and to this a grating was flung, after the manner of a pair of scales. Two lines were made fast on either side of the heart — one to haul it on shore, the other to return it on board. On Digitized by Google
