Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 2.djvu/382

 922 APPENDIX B. 1789 Equipment of the Guardian. An icebeix sighted. Ueplenish- ing the water supply. H.M.S. GUARDIAN. ACX30UNT OP THE DISASTER THAT BEFELL HiS MaJESTY^S ShIP Guardian, Lieutenant Riou, Commander.* This ship was fitted out in a most expensive manner, and fur- nished with all sorts of stores and provisions for the new settlement at Botany Bay ; and had a very prosperous voyage till she arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, where she recruited her provisions, and increased the number of her live stock beyond any former precedent. On the 24th of December, 1789, being in lat W S. and long. 41° 30' E. of London, the weather extremely foggy, we saw an island of ice about three miles to the S.W. Lieutenant Riou gave directions to stand towards it, in order to collect lumps of ice to supply the ship with water. This proceeding was judged highly expedient, as the daily demand of water was prodigious, owing to the great quantity of cattle on board. As the ship approached the island, the boats were hoisted out and manned, and several lumps collected. During this time the ship lay-to ; and on the supply of water being brought on board, she attempted to stand away. Very little apprehension was at this time entertained of her safety, although the monstrous bulk of the island occasioned an unfavourable current, and, in some measure, gave a partial direction to the wind. On a sudden the base of the island, which projected under water considerably beyond the limits of the visible part^ struck the bow of the ship ; she instantly swung round, and her head
 * Beprinted from the Annual Register, toI. xxxii, pp. 254-262.