"
But the most serious trouble was when on the 11th of June the _Endeavour_
got ashore on the Barrier Reef. Here is Cook's entry:--
"Shoal'd the water from 20 to 17 faths., and before the man in the
chains could have another cast the ship struck and lay fast on
some rocks, upon which we took in all sail, hoisted out the boats,
and sounded round the ship, and found that we had got upon the
edge of a reef of coral rocks, which lay to the N.W. of us, having
in some places round the ship 3 or 4 fathoms, and in others about
as many feet; but about 100 feet from her starboard side, she
laying with her head to the N.E., were 7, 8, and 10 fathom.
Carried out the stream anchor and two hawsers on the starboard
bow and the coasting anchor and cable upon the starboard quarters,
got down yards and topmasts, and hove taught upon the hawser and
cable; but as we had gone ashore about high water, the ship by
this time was quite fast. Turned all hands to lighten the ship,
and in order to do this we not only started water, but hove
overboard guns, iron and stone ballast, casks, hoops, staves,
oyl-jars, stores, and whatever was of weight or in the way at
coming at heavy articles. All this time the ship made but little
water. Being now high water, as we thought, hove a strain upon the
stern anchor, as I found the ship must go off that way, if at all,
but all we could do was to no purpose, she not being afloat by a
foot or more, notwithstanding we had hove overboard 40 or 50-ton
weight; but as this was not sufficient, we continued to lighten
her by every method we could think of.
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