15th August 1898

Monday

Divers went away and got anchor ready for coming up 1pm
weighed anchor and proceeded to the spot were lost anchor was, got over
the anchor and proceeded to take in Wire Hawser from steam Cutter just
as we picked up the hawsers there was a puff of wind came which blew our
stern round very near to the reef on which we grounded the Captain had
to move the ship astern which caused a strain to come on the hawsers
which up set the the stern cutter throwoing all the men that was in her
in t he water Barton Able Seaman very nearly lost the number of his mess
by being struck on the head with something half dozen men jumped over
from the forecastle when he was up the point of sinking he was quite
insensible when when brought on board, steam cutter was all right as her
air boxes kept her afloat they only had to bale her out, as her engines
and boiler had been taken out, so as to make her more useful, we then
carried on getting up the anchor, we had shackled the ground & flat?
chains together and the end of them was shackled to the ring of the
anchor by the divers, we then manned the cat fathll? and proceeded to
hoist the 4 1/2 inch steel  hawser which we had lost was foul of the
fluke of the anchor and that besides it was foul of the coral below,
which made it very heavy work, we continued to haul on the Cat Hall till
we had got the anchor with the crown just above water, was just on the
point of shackling on the last pendant to the balance when a link in the
chain that was shackled on the tothe anchor parted and down went the
anchor & all hopes tothe bottom again this time in 23 1/2 fathoms of
water taking wit it a 3 1/2 inch steel hawser, we the dropped a mrk
buoy overboard, and went back to our anchorage, everyone thoroughly
disheartened, as it meant all that work thrown away for nothing and was I
had a great deal of pulley Hauley that day, I turned in my hammock
thoroughly tired out, but luckier than a good many as I had a stiff
glass of grog for a night cap.