(345) 346 One of the crew still sick and unable to work.My bronchial cold remains but is much improved. Fortunately, no strong wind during night, but light and variable from NW to SW. March 27 Hove up and under weigh at daylight making for Port Adam(west coast of Maramasike Is.); used motor continuously. Overran entrance bet- ween Haleili and Mary Is., which lengthened the run nearly two hours. Enterred passage at 2 P.M. and turned north but found no good ground and proceeded south inside barrier islands looking for anchorage convenient to landing.3 P.M.grounded on reef through utter carelessness in naviga- tion.The plan of the place was made in 1850 and we had no look-out aloft. Spent the rest of the day trying to get off without success.Since it was nearly high water when we struck, the vessel was soon in very shallow water due to receding tide. The captain decided to wait for the night tide.He blames every- body but himself for the accident. No collecting done. Rain during afternoon and at night. March 28 I turned in last night expecting to be roused by the captain to help at refloating the ship as soon as the tide came up.He says he got up to have a look but decided to wait until daylight.Meanwhile the ship is slowly filling up with water because she lies canted forward with dry seams under surface.Most of the supplies in the main hold are wet including ammunition and corn meal.The engine sump and crank pits are full of salt water which means a complete take-down.All hands busy pumping and bailing from 6 o'clock until 2 when we got her dry.Attempts with kedge anchors have failed to move her.I swam around the stern with diving glasses and found that about 12 feet of the keel is embedded in soft coral. The captain having no suggestions I went ashore and got about 60 natives to come out in canoes.These set about to breaking the coral around the keel with crowbars, marlin spikes, etc., with a promise of a case (15 lbs.) of tobacco if they helped us get the vessel free.Forty of them got underneath the counter and along the keel to lift and push while the rest heaved on the kedges at a given signal.She came off quite easily. And the whole mob yelled for five minutes,- because they had won their tobacco. Vessel at anchor by 4:30 P.M. I sent some of the crew over to look at the bottom and they reported no visible damage; another case for the false keel. Overcast all day with heavy rain in afternoon. No collecting done. March 29 Worked all day drying out cartridges, corn meal, collecting gear; and turned to on the motor which required about eight hours to drain out, clean up, and put in order. Crew worked in main hold and the captain restowed lazarette.During this process two rats were caught.This is another discouraging piece of intelligence, and the result of spending the night alongside Lever Bros. wharf at Gavutu on Jan.23rd. I talked to some of the local boys in the evening about birds and showed them specimens.Many of these they could not recognize and it is evident that "Small Malaita" does not possess a large bird population.They mentioned none I could not identify from their description. Weather clear and hot with one shower during forenoon. No collecting done.