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Revised May 19 2021

John Fryer's Narrative of the Launch Voyage - Page 13

[?] him that the breakers were in sight — [? ?] man to [post?] me the Helm and I emmedially lower'd the main sail — and had partly dip'd it when several more came to assist me — we got the sail dip very well and the Boat haul'd on a wind — and then got our oars out & pull'd but in the height of this [?] Captn Bligh calld out Pull my lads we shall be all swamp'd very [?] encouragements for people in distress I then calld out my lads Pull there is no danger — we kept the boat off all Night in the morning we bore in towards the Reef — after we had made the Reef plain we saw that we were in a Bight, that we could not get out on either Tack we were to weak to row — I was very serious in hopes of seeing a hope in the Reef — that we might get

thro & seeing the water so smooth within the Reef every Bodys cry was, if we could get there all our danger would be [?] I got up on the stem of the Boat and held by the [?] of the Foresail — looking very [?] Captn Bligh said to me Mr Fryer do you see any thing I said yes sir I see a place where there is no Breakers — he came forward himself and saw the same that I did — it appeard so small a place that I only thought it was a small hole — but when we came in to it we found that Providance had guided us into one of the finest Harbours mouths that Possible could be — I will leave the reader to judge what feelings a set of poor fellows must have had at such a time as this as I have not words to express myself —