utmost for the preservation of the ship, contrary to what I have universally heard to be the behaviour of seamen, who commonly, as soon as a ship is in a desperate situation, begin to plunder and refuse all command. This was no doubt owing to the cool and steady conduct of the officers, who, during the whole time, never gave an order which did not show them to be perfectly composed and unmoved by the circumstances, however dreadful they might appear.
14th. The captain and I went ashore to view a harbour, and found it indeed beyond our most sanguine wishes. It was the mouth of a river,[1] the entrance of which was, to be sure, narrow enough and shallow, but when once in, the ship might be moved afloat so near the shore, that by a stage from her to it all her cargo might be got out and in again in a very short time. In this same place she might be hove down with all ease, but the beach showed signs of the tides rising in the springs six or seven feet, which was more than enough to do our business without that trouble.
16th. Tupia had for the last few days bad gums, which were very soon followed by livid spots on his legs and every symptom of inveterate scurvy. Notwithstanding acid, bark, and every medicine our surgeon could give him, he became now extremely ill. Mr. Green, the astronomer, was also in a very poor way, which made everybody in the cabin very desirous of getting ashore, and impatient at our tedious delays.
17th. Weather a little less rough than it had been the last few days; weighed and brought the ship in, but in doing so ran her ashore twice by the narrowness of the channel; the second time she remained till the tide lifted her off. In the meantime Dr. Solander and I began our plant-gathering. In the evening the ship was moored within twenty feet of the shore, afloat, and before night much lumber was got out of her.
18th. A stage built from the ship much facilitated our undertakings. In walking about the country I saw the old frames of Indian houses, and places where they had dressed
- ↑ Endeavour River.
