Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0347
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[Page 347]
243
August 1770 Becalmed off the Reef
no man I beleive but who gave himself intirely over a speedy death was all we had to hope for & that from the vastness of the Breakers which must quickly dash the ship all to peices was scarce to be doubted other hopes we had none the boats were in the ship & must be dashd in peices with her & the nearest dry land was 8 or 10 Leagues distant we did not however cease our endeavours to get out the long boat which was by this time almost accomplishd at this critical juncture at this I must say terrible moment when all asistance seemd too little to save even our miserable lives a small air of wind sprang up so small that at any other time in a calm we should not have observd it we however plainly saw that it instantly checkd our progress every sail was therefore put in a proper direction to catch it & we just obsevd the ship to move in a slaunting direction off from the breakers this at least gave us time & redoubling our efforts we at last got out the long boat & manning her sent her a head the ship still movd a little off but in less than 10 minutes our little Breeze