olling swell convinced the voyagers that they had no rocks or
shoals to fear, but at the same time proved to them that they must not
place the same confidence in their ship as before she had struck; for
the seas she now encountered so widened the leaks that they admitted no
less than nine inches of water an hour, which, considering the state of
the pumps and the navigation before them, was a matter of serious
consideration.

The great object Captain Cook had now in view was to ascertain whether
the coast of New Holland, along which he was sailing, was or was not
united to that of New Guinea. He was afraid that, if he stood on long
to the north, he might overshoot the passage, should one exist. At six
in the evening, therefore, he brought the ship to with her head to the
north-east, no land being in sight. The next morning sail was made, and
land seen; and as the day advanced a reef appeared over which the sea
broke heavily, extending from north to south as far as the eye could
reach, with an occasional break between the ship and the land. The wind
was then east-south-east; but scarcely had the sails been trimmed to
haul off it than the wind shifted to east-by-north, which made it very
doubtful whether the ship could clear the reef. The lead was kept going
all night while the ship stood to the northward, but no bottom was
found, yet at four o'clock the roaring of the surf was distinctly heard,
and at break of day it was seen foaming to a vast height at not more
than a mile off. The seas, too, which rolled in on the reef rapidly
carried the ship towards it. The wind fell to a dead calm, and the
depth made it impossible to anchor. The only prospect of saving the
ship was by rowing; but the pinnace was under repair and useless: the
long-boat and yawl were, however, sent ahead to tow, and sweeps were got
out.

Still these efforts could only delay the destruction which seemed
inevitable. The ship continued to drive on towards the fatal reef; she
was within a hundred yards of it, and the same billow which washed her
side broke on the reef to a tremendous height the very next time it
rose. The carpenters had been working at the pinnace, and she was now
lowered, but even with her assistance the Endeavour drove nearer and
still nearer to the reef. At the very moment that her doom seemed fixed
a light air sprang up, and, with the help of the boats, gave her once
more head-way. Scarcely, however, had ten minutes passed