December, an attempt was made to fother the hull by lowering an oakum-packed studding sail over the side to cover the gash in the hull and slow the flooding. This was temporarily successful and by 11 o'clock the pumps had been able to reduce the water to a level of . The respite was short-lived, when the sail split under the pressure of the water and the water level began to rise again. At this a number of seaman requested permission to take to the ship's boats. By nightfall on 25 December, the water in the hold had risen to , and the ship was rolling violently, allowing water to pour over the ship's side. Riou ordered the stores, guns and livestock to be thrown overboard in an attempt to lighten the ship, but was injured when his hand was crushed by a falling cask while trying to clear the bread-room. By morning the next day the ship was settling by the stern, while the sails had been torn away in the gale. Again the seamen, this time joined by the convicts, requested to be allowed to take to the boats. Riou at last agreed to this, well aware that there were not enough boats for everyone, and announced "As for me, I have determined to remain in the ship, and shall endeavour to make my presence useful as long as there is any occasion for it." "I have determined to remain in the ship" While the boats were prepared, Riou wrote a letter to the Secretary to the Admiralty; Riou gave the note to Mr Clements, the master of Guardian, who was given command of the launch. A total of 259 people chose to join the five boats, leaving Riou with sixty-two people: himself, three midshipmen, including Thomas Pitt, the surgeon's mate, the boatswain, carpenter, three superintendents of convicts, a daughter of one of the superintendents, thirty seamen and boys and twenty-one convicts. Guardian was nearly awash by now with of water in the hold, but a bumping noise on the deck attracted attention, and on investigation was found to be a number of casks that had broken free and were floating in the hold, trapped under the lower gundeck. Realising that this was providing extra buoyancy Riou had the gun deck hatches sealed and caulked, while another sail was sent under the hull to control the flooding. Having