At seven in the evening, two small islands, which lie off Cape Koamaroo, at the south-east head of Queen Charlotte's Sound, bore east, at the distance of about four miles.

It was nearly calm, and the tide of ebb setting out, the Endeavour, in a very short time, was carried by the rapidity of the stream close upon one of the islands, which was a rock rising almost perpendicularly out of the sea.

The danger increased every moment, and there was but one expedient to prevent the ship's being dashed to pieces, the success of which a few moments would determine.

She was now within little more than a cable's length of the rock, and had above seventy-five fathom water.

But, upon dropping an anchor, and veering above one hundred and fifty fathom of cable, she was happily brought up.