146 Motor Schooner France August and September 1925 Monday 31st 4 Am. Parsed Van Lee Light 8am Anchored in after 20 fms of cable Swung Harbours and Stained Pointe au. Usual work attended to. Engine worked 2 hours. October 1925 Found Ship making water as before Coppering. Monday 21st N.E Fresh Breeze Bar 30.10 Morn Mataku Tel B. We got 12am Pm freshin, Pump Lights looked attended to. Thursday 22nd W.N.W Strong breeze and jumpy sea Bar 30.10. 21 Am Carried away the inner jib stay band. Secured temporary and at daybreak sent in every thing con- nected with it & Reefed the mainsail Moon Lat 20°11'S Long 179.11'W 5. Pm Lighted One Flare. 8 Pm in Main sail and Stood out. Pump Light looked at to. Friday 23rd Midnight Am Stood in. I am came on deck and found the men in my watch, Frazz and Pickering asleep under the lee of The house and the ship 3 points off the wind. Warned them of the dangers they thus courted - H am Nothing on sight set the main sail and told the Mate to keep a sharp lookout for the Island & Call me when sighted. Our in- tention being to anchor & repair damages to jib stay etc. 5.50 Am Heard a call & Rushed on deck. There was nobody at the wheel. The mate was running around exhorting the men. Beyond day light hung but the galley fire and the ship in a most dangerous position close to 147 the reef with no Anchor ready. Tried to Stay her but she refused not having suffici- ent way on her and nobody taking heed to my "Lee Oh" to let go the jib-sheet. In trying to wear her got the engine started but the ship struck and afterwards came down heavy on her Rudder shoe breaking it away and the Rudder dragged down the ship being no longer under command. After getting ship out of dangers got the Rudder up & hung it in a gallows tearing by means of tackle connected to the Tiller and shaped a course back to Suva. At the time of this occurrence the Ship was in charge of the Mate George Mafileo who had with him in his watch Richard King and Charles Hill. The Cook Williams should also have been up and colle should have been ready but that was not. At 3 Pm the ship was in Lat 20°16'S & Long 179°12'W and not making any more water than previously. Pump lights and look out attended to. Engine worked about 1 hour. E.A Steenbeck Master H.M.CUSTOM 30 OCT 1925 SUVA, FIJI