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H M Ship Bellerophon 23 d April 1805
Sir,
I this morning received your letter of the 12rh Inst. expressing your wish to know, every account of those pieces of Wood found on or near Wreck Reef Bank; in answer, I must observe that on account of my staying until nearly the last person on board the Porpoise; I had not an opportunity of seeing them; but have transmitted every intelligence I can procure from Mr. Mart, which corroborating with my own notes; taken on Wreck Reef Bank, induces me to send them as true.
"Mart saw the small piece of Wood (cover'd with barnacles) laying between the Ship & Sand Bank (but near the latter) and he firmly believes it to have been part of the lower finishing of the Quarter Gallery of a Ship.
There was another piece much larger seen near to the former by Messrs Whitewood & Harrington, and from their discription; Mart supposes it to have been the lower transom of a Ship about the size of a small Frigate.
Another piece of cedar was found on the Bank and burnt the first night. Mart says this did not belong to any part of a Ship but from knowing there was none of a Similar kind in New Holland he thinks it must have been brought there by some Ship; this was also much worm eaten and appears to have laid as long in the water as the other two pieces.
Yrs &c.
John Franklin