öabb'cr. ^er ^or plhiiks, fpafs for tent poles, &c. &c. o f which We flood In great
he'ed, I frits induced to make choice Of Bulky Bay,, notwithftahdihg the
'ihcóhvëhiéhcè it labours under From the great depth of water, and want
o f anchorage in its entrance.
A favorable Wind, attended in general with tolerably fine wéathër, va-
Noyember. ried between the n. and w . and afterwards between the w. and s. with
Wednef, 2. frelh gales, until the 2d o f november; when about p in the forenoon we
were brought within fight of the c'Oaft o f New Zealand, bearing by com-
pafs e .n .e . 12 or 14 leagues diftant. We flood for the land, making all
fail with a frelh breeze at s.w. • but the weather was fo exceedingly hazy,
that it was one O’clock' in the afternoon before it was plainly diftih-
guiihed-, when Five Finger Point" was ften bearing by cbinpafs n .e . 7
leagues diftant, and the weft cape e . by N. \ n . The wind in the evening
veered round to the n .n .w . and being light, w ith alternate calms, the
boats were hoifted out to tow ; by which means, and with the additional
affiftance of a heavy (well rolling up Bulky Bay, we anchored about g
that evening in 40 fathoms fo'ft bottom, m the arm leading into Facile
Harbour. Five Finger Point by Compafs bore s. 38 w. ; the Weft point
of Parrot Illand 'n . 35 1 and the neareft lhorfe w.N.w. half a mile diftant.
About 1 1 the Chatham anchored, aild, though within us, was in
60 fathoms water.
Although in the year 17 73, I had vifited Bulky Bay with Captain Cook
in the Refoiutfon, I had never been in Facile Harbour; for this reafon I
deemed it expedient, previous to moving the veffels, to examine and
determine on a flotation there moft convenient For our feveral employments.
On this Occafion I was accompanied- by Mr. Broughton and
Mr. Whidbey. Having made our choice, we were grea tly‘alarmed
On our return by the report o f two guns; but as the wind had much
increafed fince our departure from the Ihips, we were not long at a lofs
how to account for this fignal, and concluded that one, or both, of the "
veffels had driven from their anchorage. .
We were no fooncr dear o f the iflands, than Our conjectures were in
part confirmed. The Chatham was ftationary, but the Difcovery was
moving; and by'the time we reached her, about one o’clock, Ihe was
nearly
nearly a-breaft o f Five Finger Point. We found that, on the lhip’s *79*-
drivihg, a fecund anchor had been reforted to ; but the depth of water • °v°mb‘
being upwards of j®fathoms, Ihe was not brought up; that anchor was
again at the bows, and the other nearly u p ; fo that we were Ihortly enabled
to let the fails; and, having a ftrong gale at n .n .w . though attended
with heavy fqualls, I was not without hopes o f reaching our de-
ftination in Facile Harbour before dulk. But about five, a very violent
gull of w ind’Carried away the ftrap of the fore-topfail Iheet block; the
llayfail Iheets and haulyards gave way; and the fore-topmaft ftayfailfplit;
the gale feemed to be incfeafing, -and as we were in too narrow a channel
to repair thefe damages before we Ihould have loll all the diftance we had
gained, it Was exceedingly fortunate that we had Anchor Illand Harbour
to leeward Oi us, for which we immediately fleered; and running in by
the weftern entrance, anchored at the mouth of the: cove in 26 fathoms,
fbft muddy bottom; and after veering to half a cable, our ftern was in’ 13
fathoms water, about forty yards from the ifland that lies at the bottom
o f the cove. The fhip was fteadied by hawfer-s, from the bows to the
points of the Cove, and from the quarters to the trees on each fide. The
gale increafed during the night; and it became neceffary tofttrike the lower
yards, and top-gallant marts. Our apprehettfions for the fafety of the
Chatham were not relieved until, by rowing over to the Petrel Blands the
next forenoon, and by Walking acrofs the land, we had the happinefs to Friday 4;
fee her ride in pe-rfeH fafety ; but as Ihe was dirccllv to windward, and
the gale continued to increafe, Mr. Broughton was unable to get on
board. Satisfied with the fecurity of her Ration, we returned to the
Difcovery, when the violence of the gale from the N.w. obliged Us to
ftrike the topmafts, k not being in our power to vere'more cable, Or allow
the lhip to drive, without her being on the rocks aftern; of which even
with thefe precautions we entertained feme fears ; although in a fituation
perfeftly land locked, and the weather fhores not more than five cables
length diftant. The violence o f the gale ftill continuing, the fmall bower
•anchor was dropped under foot. In the evening the wind moderated a little,
which feemed to be for the foie purpofe o f acquiring and returning
with new Vigor, -as, by two on faturday morning, the gale increafed to fo
violent
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