June 20th. Observed that in many parts of the inlet, a good way above the high-water mark, were large quantities of pumice-stones probably carried there by freshes or extra-ordinarily high tides, as they certainly came from the sea. Before night the ship was lightened, and we observed with great pleasure that the springs, which were now beginning to lift, rose as high as we could wish.

21st. Fine clear weather; began to-day to lay plants in sand. By night the ship was quite clear, and in the night's tide (which we had constantly observed to be much higher than the day's) we hauled her ashore.

22nd. In the morning I saw her leak, which was very large: in the middle was a hole large enough to have sunk a ship with twice our pumps, but here Providence had most visibly worked in our favour, for it was in a great measure plugged up by a stone as big as a man's fist. Round the edges of this stone had all the water come in, nearly overcome us, and here we found the wool and oakum, or fothering, which had relieved us in so unexpected a manner.

The effect of this coral rock upon her bottom is difficult to describe, but more to believe; it had cut through her plank and deep into one of her timbers, smoothing the gashes still before it, so that the whole might easily be imagined to have been cut with an axe.