Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0311
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[Page 311]
207.
July 1770 Endeavours River
a way by which she past most of the shoals that we could see but not all this Passage was also to windward of us so that we could only hope to get there by the assistance of a land breeze of which we have had but one since we lay in the Place so this discovery added little comfort to our situation
he had in his return Landed on a dry reef where he found vast plenty of shell fish so that the Boat was compleatly loaded cheifly with a large kind of Cockles (Chama Gigas) One of which was more than 2 men could eat Many indeed were larger the Cockswain of the Boat a little man declard that he saw on the reef a dead shell of one so large that he got into it & it fairly held him. at night the ship floated & was hauld off an Allegator was seen swimming along side of her for some time. as I was crossing the harbour in my small boat we saw many sholes of Gar fish leaping high out of the water some of which leap'd into the boat & were taken
4. The ship has been a good deal straind by laying so long as she has done with her head aground & her stern afloat; so much so that she has sprung a plank between decks abreast the main chains at night however she was laid ashore again in order if possible to examine if she had got any