On 5 May 1840, " Zebra " was in Malta for repairs . " En route " for Corfu, she had knocked off part of her false keel at Cape Blanco.
12.
On 10 May, " Endymion " and " Narcissus " both ran aground in Palermo Bay, with " Narcissus " losing of her false keel and being holed in two places.
13.
"Average under sail, not recording more than 9kts close hauled and 11.5kts off the wind, good sea boat . . . tolerably handy in staying and wearing . " She received extensions to her gripe and another 4 inches onto her false keel, suggesting a lack of weatherliness as built.
14.
The ship's carpenter, John Seetterly, observed that she was " very leaky makes from twelve to six inches an hour, occasioned by her main keel being wounded in many places, false keel gone from beyond the larbord side where the greatest leak is but I could not come at it for the water . " An inspection of the hull revealed that some unrepaired planks were cut through to within [ ! inch ( 3 mm ).
