At 8am, Thursday, 9th, sighted Mast Head Island, hearing N N W , apparently about off, but the weather was so thick and hazy it was impossible to obtain the correct distance At 9:45 am tacked ship, when a heavy squall from the south stuck her, all the light sails were taken in, and the bearings of the island showed to McNeil that he would not be able to weather Mast Head Reef, so was compelled to make for the channel (which is about in width) between the island and the reef Had the breeze held on he would have been able to carry through with safety, as there was deep water within a short distance of the reef all the way, but suddenly the wind fell light, and a strong current kept the vessel sagging on to the reef, the tide being nearly at its full The lead was immediately hove, and four fathoms of water were found At 11 30 a m felt her grate lightly , hove the lead again, and found only nine feet, the ship at the time drawing eight feet four inches A broken sea was all around, but no signs of breakers, and the reef being hidden on account of the tide being full. Directly she grated, tried to wear her off, but she lost steerage way, and would not answer her helm The tide then began to fall, and the boat was launched and a kedge run out, ballast was trimmed, and every endeavour was mado to heave the schooner off the reef At 1 pm she listed over, and bumped heavily against the reef, and in less than 10 minutes drove in her starboard bilge, she struck about a ship's length from where the lead was first hove and 8 fathoms found Captain NcNeil finding she would go to pieces, resolved to try and save everything he could, but, at 5 30 p m finding about four feet of water in the hold and the weather looking very dirty with the barometer falling, he thought prudent at once to take his crew to the island, distant about N N E , as much provisions and fresh water as were deemed necessary were put into the boat
