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COMPILED PRL\CIPALLY FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS IN THE ADMIRALTY. BT WILLIAM O. S. GILLY. WITH A PREFACE BY WILLIAM STEPHEN GILLY, D.D. VICAR OF NORHAM AND CANON OF DURHAM. SECOND EDITION, BEVI8ED. LONDON: JOHN W. PARKER, WEST STRAND. MDCCCLI. \ ; LONSOK : SAVltt AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CHAMDOS STREET, " "■ ' ■ 1/432 CONTENTS. Advertisement . vii Preface, by the Rev. Dr. Gillv The Wreck op the » BOVNE ....... Amphion . . 2 Tribune ... , Resistancij 8 Proserpine SCEPTRM 24 QuEE-w Charlotte . „^ • 65 Invincible . . 43 Gkappler ... 49 Apollo . . 55 HiNDOSTAN ... „j o4 Romney ... 73 Venerarle ol Sheerness . 86 Athenienne Nautilus . , 98 Flora .... 107 Ajax . . Ill '"■"f*!.. . "••!WL.,i« VI CONTENTS. The Wreck op the Anson 126 Boreas I35 HiRONDELLE 141 Banterer 143 Crescent ...... .^ 150 Minotaur I54* Pallas and Nymph 160 St. Oeorge and Defence 168 Hero . 182 Saldanha 187 DiEDALUS 191 Persian I93 Penelope 200 Alceste 208 Drake 230 Fury 241 Magpie 267 Thetis 277 Firefly 290 Avenger 3qq List op Shipwrecks op the Pioyal Navy between 1793 & 1850 . _. . 313 ■' '< • r . -wm' ADVERTISEMENT. JN submitting to the Press this Second Edition of the Shipwrecks op the Royal Navy, the Author has again to acknowledge the kindness of the Lords Com- missioners of the Admiralty, to whose permission to have access to their Records he is indebted for the most valuable part of his narratives, illustrative of the discipline and heroism displayed by British Seamen under the most trying circumstances of danger. The Author is well aware that the task of preparing these materials for publication might have fallen into better hands; and he takes this opportunity of expressing his most cordial thanks for the a^istance he ha. received from those friends who have kindly revised and improved his pages as they pa^ed through the Press. Without such aid, his own hterary experience would have left the work more defective than it is. A list of all the shipwrecks that have occurred in the Royal Navy since the year 1793 ha. been appended to this volume, in the hope that it may be useful a. a table 01 reference. W. O. S. G. w PREFACE. A T the request of my son, the Author of this volume, -*- I have undertaken to write the Preface, and to say a few words on the very peculiar and noble traits of character, which distinguish British seamen on all tiying occasions, and especially in the terrible hour of shir wreck. Many circumstances have combined to make me take a warm interest in aJl that concerns the navy. In early life, having passed several months in a line-of-battle ship during tho war with France, I was an eye-witness of scenes and events, which called forth some of those quaUties that are illustrated in the following pages. For the restoration of my health, in the year 1811 I was advised to try the eflfects of sea air and a change' of climate, and was glad to accept the opportunity offered me, by the captain of an eighty-gun ship, to take a cruise with him off the southern parts of the French coast. On one occasion, in a severe tempest in the Bay of Biscay, a flash of lightning struck the ship and set her on fire. The calmness with which orders were given and obeyed, and the rapidity with which the fire was extmguished, without the least huriy or confusion, made a deep impression on me. This was afterwards increased by the conduct of the crew in a severe gale of wind * PREFACJE. when it was necessary to navigate one of the narrow chanaels, by which the squadron that blockaded Rochelle and Rochfort waa frequently endangered. The vessel had to pa^s between two rocks, so near that a biscuit could have been thrown from the deck on either. An old quarter-master was at the wheel; the captain stood by to con and to direct his steering. At one fearful crisis, every blast threatened to shiver a saU, or to carry away a spar, and a single false movement of the helms- man, or the slightest want of steadmess or of obedience on the part of any man on duty, would have been fatal to the life of every one on board. As they drifted on their path There was silence deep as death, And the boldest held his breatli For a time. When the danger was over, the captain thanked the officers and men for their conduct, and gave a snuff-box with five guineas in it to the quarter-master, in admira- tion of his steady head and iron nerves. I mention these incidents m my early experience as a sort of apology for a landsman's presumption, in ventur- ing to write this Preface to a series of nautical details. In after years, the death of a dear brother, a lieutenant in the navy, who lost his life in a generous attempt to save a vessel from shipwreck on the coast of Sussex, moved me to a still deeper concern for those whose employment is 'in the great waters.' My early observationi)f the hazards of a sailor's career, and my brother's sudden call to his last account, in the awful perils of a storm at sea, taught me to reflect with ■ f H." -rnrsT PREFACE. painful solemnity on the many thousand instances in wh.oh oj. naval protector are summoned in atT^nT prepared or unprepared, to stand before the ZZTot the Eternal. Of,«n have I asked myself and otheT cl fortitude of these men on a firmer foundation than th»t of mere animal courage, or the instinct of discipi*^ T:e iTuT "PPo^-i'y of pleadingfor the s^or wUch I should be sorry to lose, and of ^ggestin^ som^I wl^h may establish his good conduTrf irtTS durable, and more certain, than even the well-knoJn ooui^e and discipline of a British tor I shall begin by noticing the extraordinary displays of elf-possession, self-devotion, and endu.»c7whi!h Sed with hmts for the miprovement of these noble qualities The mtrepidity and mental resources of a brave m^ m that of danng action : and the contents of this ™lu.^ <" cnaracter. Duty is his watchword, and the eadmg principle by which he is governed N.W. knew the spirits he had to deal with, wLThoisf d tl memorable signal, < England expects eveiy manldo ht duty. He was well aware that the men who codd patiently and calmly face the toil and dangl of a Wockadmg fleet day and night, on the stormy wit of the Bay of Biscay, or on the lee shores of the S ^rranean, such as his fleet had had to encounter wantl' no other stimulus, in the presence of the enem ^ xu PREFACE. that which he so confidently appKed. Napoleon found to his cost, on the field of Waterloo, that the word Qlory had no longer any power to launch his battalions success- fully against troops, who had learnt, in the British school of duty and obedience, to confront death, not only in the impetuous battle-charge, but in the more trying season of long endurance in the Lines of Torres Vedraa Men who can wait, and bear and forbear, and remain steadily at their post under every provocation to leave it, are invincible opponents. The cool determination which resisted the onset, and withstood the furious rush of the French Guards, was part and parcel of the same cha- racter which made heroes of the comrades of Nelson. To obey implicitly, and to feel that no quality is superior to that of obedience,— to wait for your commander's word,— to keep order,— to preserve presence of mind,— to consider yourself one of many, who are to follow the same rule, and to act in unison with each other,— to regulate your movements according to the demands of the common safety,— to consider your honour to be as much at stake in submitting to a command to remain stationary and not to stir, as to dash forward,— these are the peculiarities, which constitute the substantial excel- lence of the national character; and the shipwrecks of the Royal Navy iUustrate this national character even more than the battles of the Nile and of Trafalgar. The perils of a shipwreck are so much beyond those of a battle, that the loss of Ufe, when the St. George, the Defence, and the Hero, were wrecked in the North Seas, in 1811, was far greater than that on the part of the English in any naval action of late years. In order to '■; \%. •r-mw PREFACE. Ziii place the qtlaUtiea of obedience and endui^ce-eo ch^ ensures destruction, 1 commend the foUowinrlTteZ! to he attention of aU who shaU ,«ad this ™C In the year 1816 two stately vessels were sailing on the ocean, m aU the pride of perfect equipment^d of glonousent«pri,. The one was an 4irCte th' Aloeste, having on board our ambassadof to C^ ' 1 ofter was a French ftigate, the Medusa, t^gt; 1 suite of a governor for one of the colonies of Fx«nce on XTt:i^'^ ^^^Po^ceofther^:: fr^gH would seem te assure UB that the Alceste and W rj'''' °*'^'^ ■"<• "^«d •>? the best crew, that «™ Id be selected. Two nations, rivals in sTn^ a.d cvJ^bon, who had lately been contending ZZ enipre of ae world, and in the course of thaf cln^ had e.h.b.ted the most heroic espies of premM^ ^d comage, were nauticaUy represented, we Z »! po^, by the ^te who walked the decks'of thrZ^^ and the Medusa If any cajamity should happeTto e. her, :t could not be attributed te a faUure rf^h^I brJhant gallantry, which the EngM and Fr:n:h ^ eq^yd^played on the most tr^g occasions. But a cakmity of the most feaxful nature did befel wft Me and honom- unsullied, when that of the Srt :"? t'" " '"'^^P'"'' ^""^ "- »«~ proverb and a bye-word to monne- p-i ^ • ^^nuQia. jDuiu smpa Were b mm XIV PREFACK wrecked. For an account of the good conduct, of the calm and resolute endurance, and of the admirable discipline to which, under Providence, the preservation of the crew of the Alceste is to be attributed, see pages 204 — 226 of this volume. A total relaxation of dis- cipline, an absence of all order, precaution, and presence of mind, and a contemptible disregard of everything and of everybody but self, in the hour of common danger, filled up the full measure of horrors poured out upon the guilty crew of the Medusa. She struck on a sand-bank under circumstances which admitted of the hope of sav- ing all on board. The shore was at no great distance, and the weather was not so boisterous as to threaten the speedy destruction of the ship, when the accident first happened. There were six boats of different dimensions available to take off a portion of the passengers and crew : th^e was time and there was opportunity for the construction of a raft to receive the remainder. But the scene of confusion began among ofl&cers and men at the crisis, when an ordinary exercise of forethought and composure would have been the preservation of alL Every man was left to shift for himself, and every man did shift for himseK, in that selfish or bewildered manner which in^ creased the general disaster. The captain was not among the last, but among the first to scramble into a boat ; and the boats pushed off from the sides of the frigate, before they had taken in as many as each was capable of holding. Reproaches, recrimination, and scuffling took the place of order and of the word of Httle o^e and skill, a«d was so iU pmnded with necessaries that the planking was insecure; there was not space enough for protection from the ZT'Jl:^ T*r ""^' ^ ^^ -<» »^- 21 w *• ^ ^"' «^ «^ ™« » t V, f .'_ TTar35" PREFACE. xvii Medusa by the six boats, which reached the shore in safety; and which might have been the means of saving all on the raft, had not the crews been totally lost to every sentiment of generosity and humanity, when they cast oflf the tow-linea In fa^, from the very first of the calamity which befel the Medusa, discipline, presence of mind, and every generous feeling, were at an end: and the abandonment of the ship and of the raft, the terrible loss of life, the can- mbalism, the cruelty, the suflfering, and all the disgrace- ful and inhuman proceedings, which have branded the modem Medusa with a name of infamy worse than that of the Gorgon,— the monster after which she was called, —originated in the want of that order and prompt obedience, which the pages of this volume are intended to record, to the honour of British seamen. In the history of no less than forty shipwrecks narrated m this memorial of naval heroism,— of passive heroism, the most difficult to be exercised of all sorts of heroism,— there axe very few instances of misconduct, and none resembling that on board the Medusa. This contrast is marked and stated, not in an invidious spirit towards the French, but because there is no ex- ample on record, which furnishes such a comparison between the safety which depends on cool and orderly behaviour in the season of peril, and the terrible catas- frophe which is hastened and aggravated by want of firmness, and confusion. ' It is impossible,' said a writer in the Quarterly Beview, of October, 1817, 'not to be struck with the extraordinary difference of conduct in the officers and xvm PREFACK crew of the Medusa and the Alceste, wrecked nearly about the same time. In the one case, aU the people were kept together in a perfect state of discipline and subordination, and brought safely home from the opposite side of the globe; in the other, eveiy one seems to have been left to shift for himself, and the greater part perished in the horrible way we have seen/ ♦ I have brought the comparison between the two wrecks again under notice to show, that as certainly aa discipline and good order tend to insure safety on perilous occasions, so, inevitably, do confusion and want of dis- cipline lead to destruction. In the one case, intrepidity and obedience prompted expedients and resources: in the other case, consternation was followed by despair, and despair aggravated the catastrophe with tenfold horrors. It is not to be conceaJed, that occasional instances of msubordination and pusillanimity have occurred in the British navy. Some such appear in this narrative, and they mvariably have produced their own punishment, by leading always to disaster, and often to death ; and they serve as bea<;ons to point out the fatal consequences of misconduct, under circumstances either of drunkenness disobedience, panic, selfishness, or confusion. The selfish cowardice, noticed in page 94, on the part of the men in charge of the jolly-boat of the Athenienne and of some of the crew of the launch of the Boreas' (see p. 136,) and the tumult, intoxication, and desertion burgh Review, September, 1818. No. 60. -r*-Tm PREFACE. jjjj of the majority of the crew of the Penelope, which were foUowed by the prolonged sufferings and painful deaths of the culprits, (see pp. 204—206,) are but a few dark spots in the shipwrecks of the Royal Navy, to set off by contrast the many bright pages, which describe in- numerable traits of character that do honour to human nature. As a direction to some of those noble traits, every one of which wiU make the reader warm to the name of a British sailor : and, if he be one himself, will bring the blood from his heart to his face in a glow of emulation and honest pride,--I aak him to turn for examples of perfect discipline to pages 13, 23, 63, 70, 71, 75, 110 173 192, 198, 220, 227, 233, 236, 269, 279, 280, 281. Here he will behold the portraits of men on the brink of destruction, steady, 'as if they were moving from one ship to another in any of the Queen's ports,' and un- moved by images of death under the most appalHng forms ; and he will say, ' Lo ! these are triumphs of order and subordination, and examples of such resolute defiance of the terrors of the last enemy, when covered with the shadow of death, that no exploits in battle can exhibit fortitude that will compare with them.' For instances of generous thought for others, of self- devotion and of disregard of personal safety, I refer the reader to pages 58, 59, 67, 68, 69, 96, 128, 129, 169, 100 196, 198, 234, 271. In the long list of heroes, which these references to examples of indomitable courage and unhesitating self- devotion will unfold, it is almost wrong to mai-k out one more than another for observation, and yet the following zx. PREPACK Stand 80 prominently forwaxd in the front rank of heroism, that it is impossible to refrain from noticing them. Captain Lydiard sacrificed his hfe in his des- perate endeavour to rescue a boy from the wreck of the Anson, (pp. 128, 129.) Captain Temple, of the Crescent and more than two hundred of his crew, displayed a noble disregard of themselves, when they permitted the jolly-boat, their own last hope of escape, to take off as many as it would hold, and leave them to perish. There was no rushing, no struggling, to get away from the smking ship, but with orderly care they helped the boat to push off, ba^e her God speed, and calmly waited their fate, (p. 153.) The resolution of Captain Bertram, of the Persian, to brave the danger of taking some men off a raft into his over-crowded gig, was generously foUowed by the crews of the other boats, who threw their clothing and provisions overboard to make room for the additional weight, (p. 195.) I may refer also to the magnanimous contest between Captam Baker, of the Drake, and his officers and men each msisting on being the la^t to make his way from the ship to a rock (p. 236), and which ended in Captain Baker refusing to stir untU he had seen eveiy man clear of the wreck. A second struggle for precedency in glorious self-devotion took place, when the same com- mander declared, that all his crew should pa^ from the rock to the mainland, by help of a line, before he him- self would consult his own safety, (p. 238.) The rope broke, and the last means of communication between the rock and the shore was severed, while the captain of the Drake and three of his companions were waiting their ■■ I in ^ ' ^'^^^'^^'^9'VW^KP'^^^^' PBEFACE j^ turn to escape. Tney met their fate with intrepid com- posure (p. 236.) Lieutenant Smith, of the Magpie offered another memorable example, when his schooner was upset in a squall, and he took to his boat with seven men. The boat capsized, and while the struggling crew were endeavouring to right her, they were attaxjked by sharks. The lieutenant himself had both his legs bitten off; but when his body wa« convulsed with agony b's mmd retained and exercised aU its energies, and his'last words were expressive of dying consideration for others. Tell the admiral, if you survive,' said he, to a lad named Wilson, 'that my men have done their duty, and that no blame is attached to them. I have but one favour to ask, and that is, that he will promote Meldrum to be a gunner,' (p. 271.) And richly did Meldrum deserve the distmction. When aU in the boat had perished but him- self and another, a brig hove in sight, but did not seem to notice the speck on the ocean. Meldrum sprang over- board, and swam towards the ship, and was thus the means of saving his companion's life as well as his own. In a volume like this, * the dangers of the seas' come before the reader in such rapid succession, that he has scarcely time to think of the many other awful perils and sufferings, besides those of wind and storm, which put the mariner's fortitude to the test. The narratives ^ pages, 2, 3, 9, 36, 69, 70, 113, 115, present to view the horrors of a ship on fire. In pages 12, 169, 171, 201, 231, 243, we learn some- thmg of the terrible consequences of being exposed to fogs and mist, ice and snow. In page 27, we have a vivid picture of a combination of these terrors; and in 63 xlu PBEFACE. pj^es 221, 270, the most appalling of all the dangers a sailor has to encounter is brought in view. We will hope that the rigours and perils of the blockade system, which occasioned so fearful a loss of life at different periods of the late war, but especially in the disastrous year 1811, are at end for ever. From page 154 to 159, and from 168 to 186, the accounts of the loss of life in the Baltic and North Seaa alone occm- in fearful succession; and the magnanimity with which hundreds, nay, thousands of our bravest officers au i men met death on that most perilous of all services, nad ren- dered the names of British blockading ships memorable in the annals of hardship, hardihood, and suffering Many invaluable Uves perished from the inclemency of the weather; men were frozen to death at their posts. It is recorded of one devoted officer, Lieutenant Top- ping, that rushing on deck in anxiety for his ship, without giving himself time to put on his clothes, 'in fifteen minutes he fell upon the deck a corpse, stricken by the piercing blast and driving snow,' (p. 169.) In page 17 ' we read of the bodies of the dead, vic- tims to the CO. . and tempest, piled up by the survivors m rows one above another, on the deck of the St George, to serve as a shelter against the violence of the waves and weather. ' In the fourth row lay the bodies of the Admiral and his tVlend Oaptain Guion-' and out of a crow of 750, seven ,.nl v v , saved. The Defence, the consort ol .ae 8t. George, was cast away m the same storm : out of her complement of 600 SIX was the small remnant of survivors. This ship might probably have escaped, but her gaUant captain (Atkins) ■»-'!»; f-_ PREFACE. • • • XX lU ers aii'^ men aaid, 'I will never desert my admiral in the hour of danger and distress,' (p. 175.) An instance of obedience and discipline, worthy of particular mention, occurred before the St. George went down. A few men a^ked leave to attempt to reach the shore m the yawl. Permission was at first granted, but afterwards withdrawn, and the men returned to their posts without a murmur. 'As if Providence had re- warded their implicit obedience and reliance upon their officers says the narrative (p. 173), 'two of these men were of the few (seven) that were saved.' The question now arises, to what are we to attribute the extraordinary display of cool determination mani- fested by British seamen, in such trials of nerve as are described in the following pages? The series of ship- wrecks extends from 1793 to 1847, a period of fifty-four years and tragic scenes are described, many of them far exceedmg the imaginary terrors of fiction, and aU of them equal in horror to anything that the Drama, Romance, or Poetry has attempted to delineate. We nse from the perusal with scarcely any other im- pression upon our minds than that of wonder and admir- ation at the extraordinary self-command exercised when death was staring every man in the face. Doubtless there are some mstances of misbehaviour, and of la<)k of firm- ness: It could not be otherwise. 'When the stonny wmd anseth, and they are earned up to the heaven and down again to the deep, their soul melteth because of then- trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.' But such examples axe so few in the British navy, that we have mtle on this score wherewith in mr^r^o^h ott ,-.. - - ._ - ..^,, v-vruii ijm, ac«mcn. XXIV PBEFACK To what, then, are we to attribute the manly bearing of British seamen, when the planks of their ship tremble under their feet, and the waves are yawning to swallow them up ! First.— To the early training which almost all our youth receive, in one way or other. It begins at school. The first principles of generosity, as of obedience and order, are taught in our schools : whether in the national and parochial schools, or at Westminster, Eton, and Harrow, and other schools of a higher order, where in his very games the boy learns to exercise presence of mmd, daring, and self-command. In our streets and play-grounds, where the humblest or the proudest are at their sports, the germ of the manly spirit is discernible m emulous contention as to who shall bear and forbear, remain at his post, give and take, with most patience and good-humour. Foreigners have allowed that there is nothing like an English school to discipline a lad for the high places, or rough places, of after-life; and that our mixed schools of every grade are the seminaries, where one learns to lead, and another to follow, m the path of honour and duty. Secondly.-To the habit which prevails so universaUy m this country, of giving place to those to whom de- ference is due, and of looking up to those, who are above us m station, with ungrudging respect and confidence. Ihis goes with the man into aU the walks of life. Some attribute it to the aristocratic feeling, which is said to be stronger in England than elsewhere: but it maybe mure justly traced to that good sense, which is at work in all i'm~' PEEFACE ^^ orders oi our people, a^d which understands when to obey and to hearken. In the seaman it displays itself in a predisposition to regard his officer as one worthy of his confidence, and whom it is his safety, as well as duty, ilti^d ^ t T "^'^^"- ^""^ '""^ confidence fs justified by the almost unfailing manner in which the officer shows himself deserving of the trust reposed in him and takes the lead in the very front of danger, and exhibits m moments of doubt and difficulty all the re- sources of a cool and collected mind, at the very juncture when Irfe and death depend upon his composi The leadership to which a British tar is accustomed, one of the pnma.y causes of his endurance and daring. H^ officer is the first to advaace, the foremost to en oounter, the to to hesitate, and the most willing to take more than his share of danger and of suffering- Ldm mspues the men with an emulation to do like^e Conduct such aa that displayed by the captains and officers of the Queen Charlotte (pp. 37 and 41), of t^e Hmdosten (p. 71), of the Atheniemie (p. 96) of he Anson (p. 128), of the Dcedalua (p. 193),*cou,d^'n„t ^ crew. Under the command of officers who never flinch from then- duty, who share their laat biscuit with the when ,t IS smkmg under them, untU every other man ^ ^en h. seat in the boat, or planted Z foot n^ mft that is to carry him from the wreck, where can be : the quadmg heart or the unready hand ? *" Thn-dly._The blockading service has had much to do XXVI PREFACE. I in training our seamen for passive heroism and enduring fortitude. During the long war with France, it was a service wherein all those qualities were called into action, which are of most value in sudden emergencies. Vigi- lance, promptitude, patience, and endurance, were tried to the utmost in the course of those wintry months, and tempestuous seasons, when single ships, squadrons, and fleets were cruising off the enemy's coast, and every man on board was perpetually exposed to something that put his temper or his nerves to the test. Then was the time to learn when to keep a sharp look-out, to be on the alert in handling the gear of a vessel, to respond to the word of command at the instant, to do things at the right point of time, to hold life at a moment's purchase, and to stare death in the face without flinching. It was a hard and rigorous school ; but if proficiency in readi- ness and fortitude was to be attained anywhere, it was in the blockading service, and there the heart of oak was tried, and the seaman was trained for the exercise of that discipline, of which this Record of Naval Shipwrecks presents so complete a picture. But we will hope that the principal cause, to which we may ascribe the good conduct of our sailors in the trying hour, when there seems to be a span only between life and death, is the religious feeling, which they bring with them to their ship from their homes, whether from the cabin on the sea-shore, or the cottage on the hill-side. The scene described in page 115, and the anecdote of the poor boy, in whose hand was found an open Bible when his corpse was cast on shore, show the power of religious feeling in the soul of the sailor. It may be a very imperfect feeling, rj432 PBEPiCE. ,„ij but the ^„r has it; and even in its imperfection it has a strong hold on his mind From the fiJontbreaTotr Revolution, the French sailor who entered the sen^L „f h.s c^un^ as a volunteer or a conscript, was embu:r^th mfidel notions; or to say the least, with the religious in- so the Enghsh saJor. He was not one of the fools to say m hzs heart, .There is no God!' It is not easy to defite the nature of that awe which fills the mind of a re£u ZlI 1 T -^ly those 'who see the wo Cf the Lord and his wondeiB in the deep,' face danger more steaddy, under the solemn belief thft there isfXg power to control the waters, and to say to the ll Pea^e! be still' They are predisposed to -J^ the Lord m their trouble,' and to implore him to^ Jke he stonn a calm, so that the waves thereof may be "m ' a^d this fear of God. which is before their eyes, has i W fluence m making them willing to ^„pt eveiy exped ent ^.posed to them by their oiHce. L thi eo^llr safety Under this higher impulse, the spirit of obe before the Supreme Power, they are prepared to vield ubm.ss,on to every intellect superior to' their own S^ ::r-tt;Lir^l-a^-t:f--o-or ^Po-cetostr^gtheni^^ from the J„„^I pT • T""' ""^ ""^ following extract December, tnWn^lTITJT'''."''' ?" ^'"^ ""^'^ l^thof t^e matea orews, amo^™ t^a^S'^S itr^Z: XXVIU PREFACK and to make it run in a deeper and a broader channel, by all the appliances of instruction and education. To the credit of the official Boards, under whose ad- ministrative authority provision is made for the religious and educational improvement of men and boys in the Navy, very much has been done lately to secure this great object. Within my own memory few seamen could read, still fewer could write, but now the majority of them can do both, and they respond largely to the instruction they receive by their intelligence and good conduct There is no more imposing sight than that of the crew of a man- of-war when assembled for divine service; and if the chaplain be a clergyman who applies himself zealously to his duties, he has a congregation before him who show, by their attentive looks, that they are under the power of religious impressions. Almost all ships com- manded by post-captains have chaplains and naval in- structors, and where there is no chaplain, the command- ing officer is expected to read prayers on Sundays, In a&ge to Ipswich by the Eiver Queen. The scene on board was of the most extraordinary and affecting description. The rough, weather-beaten seamen, who had gone through the perils of that night with undaunted courage, were, in the review of it, com- pletely overwhehaed with gratitude to God for His mercy in granting them dehverance. For the most part they were m the fore cabin of the steamer, and at one time all would be on their knees in devout prayer and thanksgiving to God, then a suitable hymn would be read, and the voices of those who had been saved from the yawning ocean would presently sound it forth in solemn thanks to God. From port, to port they were entirely occupied in these devotional exercises, and the effect of them, and indeed the whole scene, upon several hardy sons of ocean who were oa board, will never be forgotten.* TRJ2- PBEFACE. ,^^ port the crews of the Queen's ships have the opportunity of observing the sacred day, either on board the flag-ship the ordinary, or in the dockyard chapel. I believe every ship in the navy is provided with a Ubraiy; and first second, third, fourth, and fifth-rates have schoolmasters! To men and boys desirous of entering the service, the preference is given to those who can read and write- and an admirable regulation ha. lately been adopted,' which will contribute further to advance our navy m the intellectual scale. Boys are entered a. naval apprentices, to the number of one hundred each, at Devonport, Ports- mouth, Sheemess, and Cork. They remain for one yeai- on board the flag-ship, under a systematic course of edu- cation, and are then drafted into sea-going ships. The happy effects produced by mental cultivation were felt m an especial degree, when the Discovery ships, under Captain, now Sir Edward Parry, were blocked up with ice, and had to pass so many dismal days and nights in ^e Polar Sea. A school wa. established both in the Hecla and Fury, under able superintendence; and men whose time would have hung heavily during their icy imprisonment, were kept in good humour and cheerfiil- ness by the intellectual occupations in which they were engaged^ Captain Parry's remarks in attestetion of the moral effect produced by this means, and on the uninter- rupted good order which prevailed among his men, axe I cited m page 243 of this work. It would add greatly to the intellectual and spuitual improvement of our seamen, if a Chaplain-general were appomted to take the oversight of the religious instruc- Ition, and an Exammer to direct the secular instruction XXX PREFACE. of the Navy. The former should exercise authority similar to that of an archdeacon ; and the functions of the latter should resemhle those of her Majesty's Inspec- tors of Schools. The impulse given to parochial education by the latter is beyond all calculation; and the diflference of ecclesiastical discipline in a diocese, where there are active archdeacons and where there are not, is a matter of well ascertained fact. The duties of a chaplain-general* should be to visit the naval posts, and to go on board the Queen's ships, (especially before they are despatched on foreign service,) for the purpose of reporting and advising. He should look out for and recommend competent chaplains, consult with admirals and captains on the best mode of securing the regular performance of the sacred offices, —make inquiry into the state of the ship-libraries, keep them well supplied with religious books and tracts, and direct observation generally to the spiritual wants of * His duties would be similar to those described in the following letter from a clergyman in one of the colonies, though more general in their extent:— 'My own duties are pretty much those you would suppose. I visit the emigrant ships immediately on their coming into port, and am often on board before they drop anchor. I then inquire for the members of the Church of England, and for such others as may require the services of a Church of England clergyman ; and having assembled them together, inquire as to the occurrences on the voyage, whether they have had schools, and a regular Sunday or daily service, whether there are chUdren to be baptized, and a thousand other matters of a like nature, which it would be but tiring you to detail. We then appoint an hour for holding a thanksgiving service for their preservation from the perils of the sea, and their safe arrival in the colony. This service consists in the proper service for the day, with a short sermon suited to the occasion.' 'T432 PBEFACE. xx^i ships and porta He would thus be of infinite use in making religion an object of more and more thought- fulness to those, who take an interest in the comfort and good conduct of the Navy: two things which always go together. '' ° If an Inspector of all the naval schools and school- maMers were appointed (Professor Mosely has now the inspection of the Dockyard Schools,) he should consider It to be part of his office to look to the Ubraries, and to recommend elementary books. His periodical examina- tions would be likely to stir up the same spirit of emu- lation on board ship, which ha^ been the result in our towns and villages, where the schools are visited by per- sons appointed by the Committee of Privy Council on Education. I am satisfied with throwing out these sug- gestions without dwelling fiirther upon them, under the persuasion that every practical hint of the kind will be well considered, and a.,ted upon (if it commend itself I to their judgment,) by those who preside over naval [affairs, and who have at heart the mental improvement I ot our seamen. I have another suggestion to make, which is meant |not for those only, who are officiaUy interested in the condition of the navy, but for aU who love and value it The merchant service, the fisheries, and the coasting rade are the nurseries of the navy. Every shipmate and every boatman on the sea and on the river ought therefore, to come in for a share of our sympr ,hy, be- .cause he belongs to a class to which the Queen's ships must look for a supply of men. But none are exposed ^0 more tnals than they, and especially in the larger \ xxxu PREFACE. 1 li porta Many of them come home from a voyage of danger and deprivation, full of excitement, and become victims of plunder and temptation; and the man who last week was impressed, by the perils of the tempest, with the terrors of the Lord, and was inclined to fear God and to serve him, is waylaid by unfeeling wretches, who first entice him into scenes of profligacy and blas- phemy, and then cast him off, robbed of his money, seared in his conscience, and in a miserable condition of soul and body. Many benevolent efforts have been made to protect and fortify some of those who are thus beset, and to reclaim such as are not utterly lost; and associations have, been formed for the purpose of afford- ing temporary relief and instruction to seamen, who might otherwise become outcasts, and perish in want and ignorance. I allude to such institutions as the 'Sailor's Home,' or 'Destitute Sailor's Asylum,' in London, for the reception of seamen who have squan- dered or have been despoiled of their earnings after their retmn from a foreign voyage, or who are disabled for employment by illness, age, or accident. There is also ' The Floating Chapel,' opened to invite and enable mariners to avail themselves of the opportunity of attending Divine service, (under the Thames Church Missionary Society,) which moves from one thickly populated sailors' locality to another. The establishment of a district church and minister in a large sea-port parish, like that of St. Mary's, Devonport, to relieve the necessities of a district- crowded with mariners, and rife with all the snares and temptations which entrap a mar PBEPACR ^^^^. sailor, and endanger his bodily and spiritual safety, is another undertaking worthy of notice. Institutions like these must depend principaUy on public and voluntary support. There is much need for hem m all our principal sea-ports; for who require them more than the men who axe peipetuaUy exposed to the double shipwreck of body and soul ? The mem- bers of these and similar institutions are instrumental in preservmg some from ruin-in restoring others to cha- racter and employment, to usefulness, to self-estimation and to rehgious feeling; and in making both our merchant and naval service an example to the world of subordina. tion and patient endurance. The promoter of these institutions are not satisHed mth prondmg a remedy for the evil which exists, but they do much to prevent the ills of irxeUgion and immo- rality by supplying seamen with instructive and devo- tion^ books, and by employing agents to go among them and to teU them where the offices of reUgion aTe per- tormed. lie countenance which admirals and captains prelates and lords of the Admiralty, have given to them' are the best warrant for their necessity and usefulnesj be thought out of place in this volume. 'The Swan' is a large cutter of about 140 tons. On her bows she bears an in^pti„n which describes her as ^e Thames Church.' She conveys a cleigyman and a Ifloatmg sanctuary from one pool in the rivf to another k T" ? ^"Is^' '""' *° *<- -""^ <^'' -t -k for .t themselves. Hers is a missionary voyage. She is xxxiv PREFACE. freighted with Bibles and Testaments and Prayer-books and rehgious tracta She runs along-side colUere, out- ward-bound vessels, and emigmnt ships especially, that the Bemces, the consolation, and the instruction of the Church may be offered as a parting gift to those, who are takmg a last leave of their native shores, and axe sayini? fareweU to weeping friends and kindred. There is also a Tender, caUed ' The Little Thames Church, which sails lower down the river, as occasion may requnre fraught on the same holy errand. One extract from the last Report of the ' Thames Church Mission Society, which is patronized by the Archbishop of Can- terbuiy and the Bishops of London and Winchester, will suffice to explain the nature of her mission ^ Sunday, Februaiy 24, Long Reach. Morning service. Tlie congregation was 128 seamen. Afternoon, Bible class, 62. Evening service, 132,~total, 322. One of the captams observed that there was a great change for the better, which he was rejoiced to see: 'For,' said he 'about four years ago I attended a service, and found that I wa« the only sailor that ha^ come from the fleet • but this mormng so crowded was the church, that I had some difficulty in getting a seat.' ' It is by means such as these, which as a Christian nation we are bound to provide, that we might hope, not only to keep aUve, but to improve the noble spirit which distmguishes the British Navy. The discipline which now prevails would be established on the highest principle of obedience and action. The endumnce, which now bears suffering with fortitude would leam to submit to severer trials under the sanction mmm wmm PREFACE. XXXV of a higher teaching, and patience would have her perfect work. The courage and steadiness of a brave crew would receive an accession of energy from the hope that his set before them. The allegiance, which they owe to their Sovereign, would be strengthened by a sense of the more sacred duty which they owe to Him, by whom kings reign and rulers govern : and committing themselves habi- tuaUy to the protection of Providence, they would face deprivation, fatigue, and danger with unshaken com- posure,-with a hand for any toil, and a heart for any fate. ^ William Stephen Gilly. Durham, Oct. 28, 1850. n u vi^ay" SHIPWRECKS or THE ROYAL NAVY. KoU on, thou deep imd dark blue oceau-roU I leu thoujaud fleoU sweep orer thee in ,m ■ Mm, marl, the earth with raiu-hi. control Stop, with the .here j-upon the watery plain The wreok, «e aU thy de«l, nor doth rem^ Aihadow of man's rarage, sare his own, When, for a moment, like a drop of rain. He smks mto thj depths with bubbhng Uoan Without a gr.™, unkneU'd, nneoffin-d, a^'Sowu. Btboit's CUlde Barold. N the Preface to this work it has been stated that it is jot our Intention to give a detaUed account of eveil ear 1793, to the present time, but only of a few of those ^er the first two yea.«, giving only a catalogue of X greeks that occurred during that time; bSau^ th! ^ties that befel the BritishNavyin m^Td 1794 .re but shght m comparison with those of a l2r date ■e first lo^ that we have to record is that of thXrl 98 guns beanng the flag of Vice-Admiral Peyt«^™ d ■mmanded by Captain Geo^ Grey.' ThisshipCkS • she lay at anchor at Spithead.^naelst of iLy, 179^ SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. I; The origin of the fire has never been correctly ascer- tained ; but it is supposed that some of the lighted paper from the cartridges of the marines, as they were exer- cising and firing on the windward side of the poop, flew through the quarter gallery mto the admiral's cabin, and set fire to the papers or other inflammable materials that were lying there. Be this as it may, the flames burst through the poop before the fire was discovered, and, notwithstanding the united efforts of both ofiicers and men, they soon wrapt the vessel in a blaze fore and aft. Upon the discovery of the fire, all the boats from the different ships put out to the Boyne's assistance, and the crew, with the exception of eleven, were saved. The Boyne's guns being loaded, went off as they became heated, and much injury would have been done to the shipping and those on board, had not the Port-Admiral, Sir William Parker, made signals for the vessels most in danger to get under weigh. As it was, two men were killed, and one wounded on board the Queen Charlotte. About half-past one in the afternoon, the burning ship parted from her cables, and blew up with a dreadful ex- plosion. At the time of the accident. Admiral Peyton and Captain Grey were attending a court martial in Portsmouth Harbour, on Captain A. J. P. Molloy. The next catastrophe which we have to describe, was of a far more appalling nature, and one which long threw a gloom over the inhabitants of Plymouth and the neigh- bourhood. The Amphion frigate had been obliged to put into Plymouth for repairs, and, on the 22nd Sept., 1796, was lying alongside of a sheer-hulk taking in her bowsprit, within a few yards of the dockyard jetty. The ship, being on the eve of sailing, was crowded with more than an hundred men, women, and children, above her usual complement. It was about four o'cicsk in the afternoon THE AMPHION. j a»t a violent shod., like an earthquake, wa» felt at Stonehouse and Plymouth. The sky towards the dock appeared red, as if from fire, a«d in a moment the greets were crowded with the inhabitants, each asking his neighbour what had occurred. When the conS had somewhat abated, it was announced that the Am! pbron had blown up and then every one hastened to tie S^Lt"'" f, T ^^^-'»ding scene presented itself Stowed m aU directions were pieces of broken timber, spars, and nggmg, whilst the deck of the hulk to which the frigate had been lashed, was redTith Wood and covered with mangled limbs and lifel^nb aU blackened with powder. The frigate had beS ongmally mamied from Plymouth ; and ^ the mutilated foms were collected together and carried to the h^^ fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters flocked to X' gates m then- anxiety to discover if their relatives we.^ numbered amongst the dying or the dead From the suddenness of the catastrophe, no accurate account car, of course be given; but the (Mo^^. ticulars were collected from the survivors The captain, Israel Pellew, was at dinner in his cabin and the first heutenant of the Amphion, when in m mstent they were all violently tLw.^ aelbTtt! Wlings of the upper deck Jptain ZleTZ ^! fi lent presence of mind to rush to the cabin wtdw before a second explosion followed, by which C™I iblow^mto the water; hewassoon, ho^everr^ed up W feboat, and was found to have sustained bui Httiri^^u^"^ The fi^ heutenant, who followed his example, esiSd h a simUar rmtnner. Unfortunately, Captain sSd t^^1'J.f T^^^'^ ^^e been ^stunned Ser body was foundam;ntra;i;::rd";":rthTe sS b2 la * SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. fractured, apparently crushed between the sides of the two vessela At the moment of the explosion, the sentinel at the cabin door was looking at his watch, when it was dashed from his hands and he was stunned : he knew nothing more until he found himself safe on shore, and com- paratively unhurt. The escape of the boatswain was also very remarkable ; he was standing on the cathead, directing the men in rigging out the jib-boom, when he felt himself suddenly carried off his feet into the air; he then fell into the sea senseless ; and on recovering his consciousness, he found that he had got entangled amongst the rigging, and that his arm was broken. He contrived to extricate himself, though with some difl&culty, and he was soon picked up by a boat, without further injury. The preservation of a child was no less singular: in the terror of the moment, the mother had grasped it in her arms, but, horrible to relate, the lower part of her body was blown to pieces, whilst the upper part remained unhurt, and it was discovered with the arms still clasp- ing the living child to the lifeless bosom. Till then we had not wept — But well our gushing hearts might say. That there a Mother slept ! For her pale arms a babe had prest With such a wreathing grasp. The fire had pass'd o'er that fond breast, Yet not undone the clasp . Deep in her bosom lay his head. With half-shut violet eye — JBe had known little of her dread, Nought of her agony. Oh ! human love, whose yearning heart, Through all things vainly true, So stamps upon thy mortal part Its passionate adieu : THE AMPHION. j Surely thou hast another lot, There is some home for thee. Where thou shalt rest, rememb'ring not The moaning of the sea.— Mrs. Hbmans. The exact complement of the Amphion was 215, but from the crowded state of her decks at the time of the accident, it is supposed that 300, out of 310 or 312 persons, perished with the ship. The captain, two lieutenants, a boatswain, three or four seamen, a marine, one woman, and the child were an tnat were saved. The cause of this unfortunate event was never clearly known ; but it wa^ conjectured that the gunner might have le fall some powder neax the fore-magazine, which axjcidentally igmtmg, had communicated with the maga- zine Itself. The gunner had been suspected of steaSig the powder, and on that day he is said to have been intoxicated, and wa^ probably less careful than usual ile was amongst the numbers who perished. The loss of the Tribune frigate, in November of the J lollowmg year, is too interesting to be omitted At about eight o'clock on the morning of the 16th of November, 1797, the harbour of Halifax was discovered, and ^ a strong wind blew from the ea^-south-east. Cap- tain Scoiy Barker proposed to the master to He to. until ^ pilot came on board. The master replied that there f was no necessity for such a measure, as the wind was favourable, and he was perfectly well acquainted with the pa^ge. The captain, confiding in this assumnee, went below, and the master took charge of the ship Towards noon they approached so near the iSruin Cape shoals, that the master became alarmed and sent for Mr. Galvm one of the master's mates. The message f was scarcelv dfAivar^A k^i? — j.i- • ,, . «>«»gc - -^ — !....«, ^/Tjivxc luv man m the mam-chains O SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. sung out, ♦ By the maxk five/ In a few minutes after the ship struck. Signals of distress were immediately made, and as speedily answered by the miUtary posts, and the ships in the harbour. Some boats put out from the harbour to the assistance of the Tribune, and Mr. Kackum, boatswain of the Ordinary, succeeded. in reaching her in a boat from the dockyard, but all the other boats were forced to put back —the wind was blowing so hard directly against them. The ship continued to beat until eight o'clock, p.m., when all the guns having been thrown overboard (except one, retained for signals), and all means taken to lighten her, she began to heave, and in about an hour after she sw^g off the shoal,— not, however, without having lost her rudder. She was then found to have seven feet of water in the hold; the chain pumps were instantly manned, and every exertion made to save the vessel. At first these eflforts seemed to be successftd, but by ten o'clock the gale had increased to a frightful violence, and the water was gaining on them so fast that little hope remained. The ship was driving rapidly towards the rocky coast, against which she must have been dashed to pieces had she kept afloat a few minutes longer, but she gave a lurch and went down, rose again for an instant, and with another lurch, sank, and all was over,— and there were nearly two hundred and fifty human beings strug- gling with the waves. Of all the crew twelve only were saved. Mr. Galvin, the master's mate, was below, directing the working of the pumps, when the ship went down; he was washed up the hatchway, and thence into the seaj he then struck out for the shrouds, but was seized by three of his drowning comrades. To extricate himself THE TRIBUNE. t from their grasp, he dived for a few seconds, which caused them to let go their hold. He reached the shrouds which were crowded with people, and then cUmbed to the maintop Ten men had taken refuge in the foretop, and about a hundred persons altogether are supposed by Mr Galvm to have been clinging to the shrouds, tops, and other paxts of the rigging; but the long November night, the mtense cold, and the fieijce gale, finished the work that the waves had left undone ; and one by one the poor creatures let go their hold, frozen or exhausted and dropped into the foaming sea. ' About forty persons were clinging to the mainmast when it feU over, and all were lost, except Mr. Galvin and mne others, who had strength enough left to enable them to gam the top, which rested on the mainyaxd being fortunately sustained by a part of the rigging But of the ten who regained the maintop, four only, mcludmg Mr. Galvin, survived the night. Of the ten in the foretop, six perished, three from exhaustion, and three were washed away. Here we cannot refrain from relating an instance of the coolness which is so often characteristic of the British sailor. Amongst those who survived in the foretop were two seamen, Robert Dunlap, and Daniel Munroe • the latter disappeared in the night, and his companion'con- |cluded that he had been washed away with the others lAbout two hours, however, after he had been missed Mun- Iroe, to the surprise of Dunlap, thrust his hea^ through the lubbers hole. Dunlap asked where he had been. Been, ^d Munroe; 'IVe been cruizing, dVe see [m search of a better berth.' L '^^*f l^f'^^S about the wreck for a considerable time, he had returned to the fore-shrouds, and crawling m at the cat-haipings, had been sleeping there more than s SHJPWBECKS OF THE BOYAL NAVY. ^m^ «>« mommg dawned, there were only eight men sUl ahve on the ngging, and no effort was mL to r^e ftem untdabouteleven o'clock, A.M;,when a boyofSn humanity and heroism, to older and more exneiienlS men. who should have been leaders, and not foZlS^ ^hff close to the foretop, carried off two of the people Upon th^ occasion, also, a noble instance of the iaX lu^ty of the true British tar was displayed ^ J^T^ °^^ ^'^P' '^^''' "J^ring tk^ "ight, had pre- sented their strength and spirite,Ld h JdJn~. S ""IZ r""!" *° ™*^ ^^"^ 1«^ fortunate ™m- n^es, refused to quit the wreck untU the other two me" effort for their own safety, were taken on shore. Thev accordmgty hfted them into the skiff, and the Jw boy rowed them off in triumph to the Cove aff^ ported them in safety in the nLest cottal ' *" He agam put off in his skiff, but this time aU his efforts were miavaUmg, and he was obliged to retZ T! gaUant e^p, h„,,,,,_ ^^ J eff^T^u.^" others to make the attempt, and the siz survivor X! conveyed to the shore in laige boate Before concluding this chapter, we will brieflv relate auother catastrophe, somewhat similar to that of tl^ Amphion, but which affords a stiU more i^Lw! mstance of the preservation of four indi""l,^rm ot of whom the following particulars were ascert^^I It appears that the Resistance of 4.4 m,„= c^ \ ■ Edward P^enham, had anchored in tCsSSTf Banca, on the 23ri of July, 1798. Betw^l fCla THE KESISTANCE. 9 four clock m the moming of the 24th, the ship was struck by hghtnmg : the electric fluid must have pene^ trated and set fire to some part of the vessel near to Ae magaane, as she blew up with a fearful violence a few moments after the fla.h. Thomas Scott, a seaman, one of the few survivors, stated that he wa^ lying adeep on the starboard side of the quarter-deck, when, being sud- denly awakened by a bright blaze, and the sensation of scorchmg heat, he found his hair and clothes were on hre A tremendous explosion immediately followed, and he became insensible. He supposed that some minutes might have elapsed before he recovered, when he found himself, with many of his comraxies, struggling in the waves amongst pieces of the wreck. The Resistance had sunk, but the hammock netting was just above water on the starboard side, and with much difficulty bcott and the other survivors contrived to rea«h it When they were able to look around them, they found that twelve men alone remained of a crew of above three hundred, including the marines. The calmness of the weather enabled the unfortunate sufferers te construct a raft with the pieces of timber that were floating about- , but most of the men were so much bruised and burnt as to be unable te assist in the work. The raft was finished about one o'clock, p.m., but in a veiy rough and insecure Imanner. Part of the mainsail attached te the mast of the jolly-boat served them for a sail, and they committed themselves to the care of Providence upon this frail raft and made for the nearest shore, which was the low land lot Sumatra, about three leagues distant About seven o'clock in the evening, a gale sprung up, the sea ran high, and the lashings of the raft began to give way the planks which formed the platform were |washed off and in a short time the mast and sail were also earned away An anchor-stock which formed part B d 10 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. of the raft had separated, and was floating away ; but although it was at some distance, Scott proposed to swim for it, and encouraging three others to follow his example, they all reached it in safety. In about an hour afterwards they lost sight of their companions on the raft, and never saw them more. The four men upon the anchor-stock gained the shore, and they then fell into the hands of the Malaya Thomas Scott was twice sold as a slave, but was at length released, at the request of Major Taylor, the governor of Malaxjca, who, hearing that four British sea- men were captives at Lingan, sent to the Sultan to beg his assistance in procuring their Hberty. Thomaa Scott returned with Major Taylor's messenger to Malacca, from whence he sailed to England : the other three men had been previously released by the Sultan's orders, and con- veyed to Penang. THE PROSERPINE. r\N Monday, January the 28th, 1799, His Majesty's yj fngate Proserpine, 28 guns, commanded by Captain James Wallis, sailed from Yarmouth to Cuxhaven. She had on board the Hon. Thomas Grenville, who was the bearer of important despatches for the Court of BerHn On Wednesday, the 30th, the ship was off HeHgoland and there took in a pilot for the Elbe. The day being fine, with a fair wind from N.N.E., the Proserpine's course was steered for the Red Buoy, where she anchored for the mght. It was then perceived that the two other buoys at the entrance of the river had been removed • a consultation was therefore held with the pilots, in the pre- THE PBOSERPINR 11 sence of Mr. Grenville, as to the practicability of proceed- ing up the river in the absence of the buoya The Heli- goland pilot, and the two belonging to theship, were unani- mous in declaring that there was not the slightest difficulty or danger in ascending the river ; they professed the most perfect knowledge of the passage, and assured Captain Wallis they had no fear of carrying the vessel to Cux- haven, provided only he would proceed between half ebb and half flood tide ; for in that case they should be able to see the sands and to recognise their marks. The next morning (31st), the Proserpine was got under weigh, and proceeded up the river, having the Prince of Wales packet, which had accompanied her from Yarmouth, standing on ahead. At four o'clock in the afternoon, when they were within four miles of Cuxhaven, the weather became very thick, and some snow fell, so that Captain Wallis was obliged to anchor. At nine o'clock, P.M., the wind changed to east by south, blowing a violent gale, accompanied by a heavy fall of snow, which made it impossible to see beyond a few feet from the ship ; and what was still worse, the tide and the wind brought such large masses of ice against the ship, that with all hands upon deck, it was with the greatest difficulty they prevented the cables being cut, and were able to preserve their station till daylight. By eight o'clock next morning, the flood tide had carried up most of the ice, and left a passage clear below the ship, while all above it was blocked up. The Prince of Wales packet had gone on shore during the night; and, warned by her fate. Captain Wallis determined to retreat out of the Elbe. Mr. Grenville was very anxious to be put on shore as speedily as possible, his mission being of much importance ; but the river was so com- ' pletely blocked up above them, that there seemed no lu, 12 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. possibility of effecting a landing at Cuxhaven : Captain Wallis therefore got his ship under weigh, and stood out to sea, intending to land Mr. GrenvUle on the nearest part of the coast of Jutland, if it were practicable. The pilots were congratulating the captain on the fngate's getting safely out of the river, and clear of the sands, and the people had been allowed to go to breakfast on the supposition that aU danger was paat, when the vessel struck upon Scharhom Sand, with Newark Island bearing south by east, at half-post nine o'clock, A.M. As it was blowing a very strong gale of wind, the Proserpine struck with great force, though she carried no other canvas than her foretopmast stay-saa Upon sounding there was found to be only ten feet of water under the fore part of her keel. ^e boats were immediately lowered to cany out an anchor, but the ice wa^ returning upon them so fast that this was found impossible, and the boats were hoisted on board again. All hands were then employed to shore the ship up, and make her heel towards the bank, to prevent her falling into the stream, which would have been certain destruction. Happily this object was effected; for as the tide ebbed, she lay towards the bank. The next tide, however, brought down such huge masses of ice that the shores were carried away—the copper was torn from the starboard quarter, and the rudder cut in two, the lower part lying on the ice under the counter. ' Notwithstanding all these disasters, Captain Wallis stdl hoped to get the ship off at high water, and to eflect this, they proceeded to lighten her by throwing most of her guns and part of her stores overboard uU of which were borne- up on the ice. One party ^Bs employed in hoisting out the provisions, another in fetartmg the casks of wine and spirits ; and such were the W W ^ ' .^W ^ ^ i- " y '»'1>KI2-' '" "' VY. en : Captain ind stood out the nearest sticable. tain on the clear of the > to breakfast st, when the 3wark Island •f wind, the le carried no >aiL Upon Bet of water carry out an L so fast that B hoisted on ed to shore he bank, to would have object was ds the bank. such huge away — ^the sr, and the on the ice, tain Wallis ber, and to y throwing overboard. One party another in )h were the THE PROSERPINE. 19 good discipline and right feeling of the men, that not one instance of mtoxjcation occurred. At ten o'clock on Friday night, they abandoned all hope of saving the vessel ; it wa^ then high water, yet the heavy gale from the south-east so kept ba^k the tide that upon sounding, they found three feet less water thaii there had been m the morning, when the ship first struck. .•/ \f ? r ""^ *^® ^'^^ ^«^ ^^^dful. When the wnnU K ; ^^ ^""P^"*^^ ^"^^^y "^^"^^^t *l^at the ship would be driven to pieces by the ice. The cold wa^ possible to distinguish one another upon deck ; and the snow faUing very thick, waa driven against their fa.e by the wind, and froze upon them as it felL There was no possibility of keeping up warmth and cu-culation m their bodies, for the frozen'snoT^dTce made the deck so slippeiy they could scarcely stand, much less walk about quickly, and all they could do was to tiy to screen themselves as much as possible from the pitiless blast. Thus the night was spent in anxious feaxs for the future, and dread of immediate destruction. But mommg came at last, though with little comfort to the sufferers, for the wind had increased, the ice was up to the cabm windows, the stern-post was found to be broken m two and the ship otherwise seriously damaged In this state they could not long remain. Mr. Gren- tW%T ^^\"^*^; «ffi^^^ Proposed to Captain WaJlis that the crew should make an attempt to get over the ice to Newark Island, as the only mean's of p'reserving their u SLIPWRECKS OP THE BOYAL NAVY. At first, Captain Wallis wm inclined to reject the pro- posal ; he saw all the danger attending such an attempt ; and it appeared to him, that they could scarcely expect to succeed in crossing the ice through a dense fog and heavy snow-storm, without any knowledge of the way, without a guide, and exhausted as they were by mental and bodily suflfering, and benumbed with cold. On the other hand, he confessed that the plan pre- sented a hope of safety, and that it was their only hope. The ship's company were unanimous in wishing to adopt it, and therefore Captain Wallis finally consented. The people then set heartily to work to consider the difficulties of the undertaking, and the best means of meeting them. It wajs determined that they should be divided into four companies, each headed by an officer; that the strongest of the men should carry planks, to be laid down in the most dangerous places by way of assist- ance to the less able and active of the party ; and that others should hold a long line of extended rope, to be instantly available in case of any one falling between the blocks of ice. When all these measures were decided upon, and every man had provided himself with what was most essential for his safety and sustenance, they began their perilous journey at half-past one o'clock, p.m. By three o'clock, every one had left the ship, except Captain Wallis, and he then followed the party, accompanied by Lieutenant Ridley, of the Marines. To describe the dangers and difficulties which the crew and establish a position and a name. Upon Newark Island is a village and light-house, situated a few miles from Cuxhaven, and accessible at low water by the sand. The sand ridge takes a north-westerly direction from Newark Island, and extends about six miles further. It was on the extremity of the north- western bank that the Proserpine was wrecked. THE PBOSERPINE. 10 of the Proserpine had to encounter is almost impossible The snow was still falling heavily, driving against their fa^es, and adhenng to their hair and eyebrows, where in a few minutes it became solid pieces of ice. Sometimes they had to clamber over huge blocks of ice, and at other times were obliged to plunge through snow and water reaching to their middle. As the wind blew from the direction in which thev were proceeding, the large flakes of snow were driven into their eyes, and prevented them from seeing many yards m advance. This caused them to deviate from their proper course, and to travel in a direction which if continued, would have carried them off the shoal and field of ice into the sea, or at least have taken them so far from any place of shelter, as to have left them to pensh m the ice and snow during the night. This dreadful calamity was, however, prevented, by one Foilr.T^'^"^ m his possession a pocket compass. Fortunately, beanngs had been taken previous to their leaving the wreck. The course they were pursuing was examined and to their surprise it was discovered that they had been deviating widely from the direct line which they ought to have pursued. This, however, en- abled the party to correct the march, and after a toilsome journey of six miles, they at length reached Newark ^ In the course of their hazardous journey, a striking mstance was afforded of the inscrutable ways of Pro^? dence. Two females were on board the Proserpine when she was stranded,-one a strong healthy wom^ accustomed to the hardships of a mlitime Hfl t"' other exactly the reverse, weak and delicate, had never been twelve hours on board a ship until the eveniW husband ha4 been lately impressed, and she had come on board for the purpose of taJcing faxewelL O^^' SHIPWEECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. to a sudden change of the weather, and the urgency of the mission for which the Proserpine had been de- spatched, she had been unable to quit the ship. The poor creature was upon the eve of her confinement, and naturally being but ill prepared to combat with the inconvenience of a ship at sea, in the course of the day she was delivered of a dead child. The reader can well imagine the sufferings endured by this helpless woman, with but one of her own sex to tend her, in a vessel tossed about in the stormy seas of the Northern Ocean. But this was little compared with what she had yet to undergo. Before many hours the frigate stranded: the night waa passed in torture of mind and body, and then was she compelled, with others, to quit the ship, and travel through masses of snow and ice, and to combat with the bitter north wind, hail, and sleet. It may well be supposed that her strength, already weakened by the sufferings she had undergone, was totally unprepared to bear up against a trial from which the strongest of the crewmight have shrunk ; but it turned out otherwise. The robust, healthy woman, with her feeble companion, left the wreck together, the former bearing in her arms an infant of nine months old. No doubt many a ready arm was stretched forth to assist them in their perilous journey. But man could have done but little against the piercing winter's blast with which they had to contend. Before they had proceeded half the distance, the child was frozen in its mother's arms, and ere long the mother herself sunk on the snow, fell into a state of stupor, and died. Not so the delicate invalid ; sustained by help from above, she still pursued her way, and ere long gained with others the hospitable shore. The inhabitants 6f the village received the strangers with great kindness, and did everything in their power to alleviate their sufferings. The ship's ^; TT4J2 THE PROSERPINE. 17 company were distributed amongst them for the night but the poverty of the place afforded them little more than shelter. The next morning a general muster was made, and it was ascertained that, of the whole company, twelve sea- men, a woman, and her child, only were missing ; these had either been frozen to death, or had died from the effects of cold, and the loss was small when compared with the hardships they had suffered. Several men had then- legs and fingers frozen, but through proper medi- cal treatment they all recovered. The storm lasted without intermission till the night of the 5th, and during that time the crew of the Proserpine were suffenng much from the want of necessaiy food, c othmg, &c. Provisions were so scarce that they were aU put upon short allowance; and their scanty store being neariy exhausted, it became absolutely necessary that part of them should proceed to Cuxhaven. They leamt that at low water it was possible to get to Cuxhaven on foot ; and some of the islanders offered their services as guides, and when the tide served, it was settled that the first lieutenant and half the officers and men should start with the guides on the morning of the 6th Mr. Grenville bemg very anxious to proceed on his mission to Berlin, determined to accompany the party with the secretary to the embassy, and some of the seirants ; and they accordingly all set off at eight o'clock whitXr^' ''' ''''-''' '' ''' ^^^*^- ^-^^ — , Great as had been the difficulties they had encountered in their passage from the Proserpine to Newark Island, he dangers of their present expedition, over sand and ice, were nearly as formidable. At one part of thTir journey they found themselves on the banks of a rive ihe guides had ursmv^^ +i.«w. u , ' 18 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Stream, and would most probably be frozen over: it proved, however, to be a river of considerable width ; the ice was broken and floating upon it in large masses ; the tide, too, was rising, and altogether the passage pre- sented a formidable appearance. There was little time for deliberation, so the word was given to push forward, and the next moment they were up to their waists in the water, struggling against the tide and the large flakes of ice, which swept against them with such force that they had great difficulty in keeping their footing. But through the mercy of Providence they all reached the opposite bank in safety, and before evening they arrived at Cuxhaven, without the loss of a single man. Many of them were more or less frost-bitten, but by rubbing the parts aflfected with snow, circulation was restored. We must now return to Captain Wallis and the officers and men who had remained with him at Newark, in hopes of being able to save some of the stores from the frigate. On Friday, the 8th, Mr. Anthony, the master, volun- teered with a party to endeavour to ascertain the state of the vessel, and if possible to bring away some bread, of which they were in much need. They had great difficulty in reaching the ship, which they found lying on her beam ends, with seven feet and a half of water in her hold, having her quarter-deck separated six feet from her gangway, and apparently only kept together by the vast quantity of ice which surrounded her. From this report, it was deemed unadvisable to make any more expeditions to the ship ; but on the 10th, the clearness of the day induced Mr. Anthony, in company with the surgeon, a midshipman, the boatswain, and two seamen, to go off a second time. THE PROSERPINE. w Those who remained at Newark anxiously expected the return of the party, but they came not Evening advanced, the tide was flowing, and at last it was too Jate for them to cross the sands and ice till the next ebb The watchers were obHged to content themselves with the hope that Mr. Anthony and his party had found it safe and practicable to remain on board the frigate till mormng. But during the night a violent storm arose, which mcreased the anxiety of Captain WaUis for the safety of his people ; and this anxiety became deep dis- tress, when m the morning he ga^ed wistfuUy towards the wreck, and saw nothing but the foaming waters, and moving fields of ice. Not a vestige of the frigate was visible. We cannot better describe Captain Wallis's teehngs on this occasion than by quoting his own words when he communicated the inteUigence to Vice-Admiral Archibald Dickson. 'They got on board,' says Captain WalUs, 'but un- fortunately neglected, until too late m the tide to return, which left them no alternative but that of re- ma^mg on board tiU next day. About ten o'clock at night the wmd came on at S.S.E., and blew a most violent storm ; the tide, though at the neap, rose to an uncommon height, the ice got in motion, the velocity of which swept the wreck to destruction, (for in the mom- mg not a vestige of her was to be seen,) and with it I am miserably afraid, went the above unfortunate officers and men,— and if so, their loss will be a great one to the service, as, in their different departments, they were a great acquisition to it. * The only hope I have is, that Providence whicl has so bountifully assisted us in our recent dangers ana dif- hculties, may be extended towards them, so as to pre- serve then- Uves, by means of boat or otherwise : but I am very sorry to sav m^r l./^v,->. „_„ u? i j ., J J — a. J ...J ixv^eo arc iuuiiued on the most 20 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. distant degree of human probability. This melancholy accident happening so unexpectedly, added to my other misfortunes, has given so severe a shock to my health and spirits, as to prevent me hitherto undertaking the journey to Cuxhaven, where the survivors of the ship's company now are, except a few who are here with me, with whom I shall set out as soon as we are able.' It is now necessary that we should follow the proceed- ings of Mr. Anthony and his party. They reached the wreck at ten o'clock on Sunday morning ; but, being busily occupied in coUectmg what stores they could, they neglected to watch the tide, and whUst they were thus employed, the time passed over, and the waves rolling between them and their tem- porary home at Newark, they were obliged to wait till the next day's ebb. During the night, as we have stated, the wmd changed to the S.S.E. : it blew a violent gale, and the tide rose to such an unusual height, that it floated the ship, and the ice that had stuck to her, with- out the men on board being aware of it. The next morning to their horror and dismay, they found the vessel drifting out to the ocean. We can scarcely imagine a situation more terrible than that in which these unfor- tunate men were placed. They were in all six persons, four officers and two seamen, and these few hands had to manage a frigate of 28 guns, which was actually going to pieces, and it was impossible to conjecture how long she might swim. She was merely buoyed up on the sea by the fields of ice that surrounded her ; and if the ice were to break away, in all probability she would not hold to- gether for an hour. Mr. Anthony and his -companions did not, however, give way to despair, nor lose time in useless repining! They set to work immediately, to avoid the danger as far as cu-cumstances would permit. THE PBOSEBPINE. jj aJl the remammg guns, e:ccept four, overboard-a kto^ of no small m^it„de for s« „>en to perform. ^'^ water, or being obliged" ttZrT'' ""^ "'"^ wlh mrorS,*''*"*"^ m aU thi, hard labour, to wmcn most of them were unaccustomed : it nrevent^l ^ent^of^^^sionsonbo^. So pa.:'d l^e S SJ o'^ck S wLl:^' ^r^'^'l ''" ^2»''- «* «•«»» eleven wards tie ship struck on a rock oflf the island of iTl* about a mile and a-half distant from the sho,:^*™"' .1, ™'- f"*f ny and his companions then tried' to I»„«nl, the cutter, but they were obliged to give un th. »« f as the sea was not sufBcien^ cle^Ti^^*tLv r*" ' fore remamed on board another night ' ^ ■"'"■ »d^x':3'tS:xr''r^^c ''■: ''"'*• more than half way when twl ^ '"'*^''« fields of ice, so thirLTwere IJJ*™"!""''^ ^^ ice, and drag the boat Xaem^''' *° ^' "P"" *">« lentt^'!fr\""'' ''^ '"""^^ 'e ™'W" a cable's ii ^2 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. found it impossible to drag her any further. They them- selves had to leap from one piece of ice to another, often falling into the water ; and it was at the imminent risk of their lives that they at last gained the beach. They were tolerably well received by the inhabitants, who took them to their houses, and allowed them to seek that repose which they so much needed. The next day the islanders, unable to resist the temp- tation of plunder, took to their boats, and made off to the ship, which they ransacked, and carried off all the arms, stores, and provisions of every kind. In vain Mr. Anthony protested against this base conduct : it was as much as he could do to persuade them to spare some part of the provisions for himself and his friends. The party were obliged to remain at Baltrum amongst their rapacious hosts until Saturday, the 16th, when they deemed that the ice was sufficiently cleared away to allov\r of their sailing for Cuxhaven ; they accordingly secured the cutter and took their departure. As there was not the remotest chance of getting the Proserpine afloat again, they abandoned her to the island plunderers. They reached Cuxhaven about the 22nd, and there they found Lieutenant Wright and those who had accompanied him from Newark. On the following day. Captain Wallis arrived, with the rest of the ship's company, the sick and wounded. We can imagine the joy and gratitude with which Captain Wallis received the announcement of the safe arrival of Mr. Anthony and his friends, whom he had deplored as lost. Thus were the crew of the Proserpine, with the excep- tion of fourteen persons, thought once more together after three weeks endurance of innumerable hardships, and having been exposed to many perils. Never was the Ahnighty hand of Providence more visibly displayed THE PROSERPINE. o, than in the protection afiforfed to these m,H«„f f n and never did men do more to h.1„ .f^, *"°*'i they did. We cannot but Xi^ the i '^'"''' *•">" evinced throughout that iZ^d d^^ -^"^^ ^^ aW certain destruction awitoTthem^ ^Tj^" obedience and cheerful alacrity thrZww .^Z^"" ^oh from the wreck to N^wwk^ln ^'^'^^ Newark to Cuxhaven nJ ^Y"*" ™d agam from displayed by'TXth^y It ]:;! 'T ''^ '°'''*"^'' they wer« a second time wL^ it th.p'^'r "•>«» Throughout the histon^^W d„f ^T«'e- from cold and hme^ZI !^ fr^" *"•* ^e™g8 shipwreck on suciTi^hL / J^T ''"^ attending a olimate, there ^o me^arS"' *ora and in such a the -w tCk JTn«S,,^^^-d free from ice. ^"^'"^-'"-"'^^^W^^^iC^rrSe^ v ^y 24 THE SCEPTRE. «. i* availing, the kmd of^ ';"' ^'™'" «ffort8we,«;n- after many hon« of hari iS Th« f ™"'' ^"^ h«f^i':f^Lrhet™ ^t:2^*^rr -' oonvoy, woid havfgirpo^SP? f "^"^ "'""« merchantmen ; and even rtT teansports and In^^hthlveLrAXr "" -™^ ^ -^Hde.L,^-z,„Xri-:t^ When again fit for sea, she retuniedt/,T„M e anchored there about the middleTo J:!""' ^^' '»'* the ship pre^nted an appXnlnV " *?"* "«'" mirth and n.„,ie resounlT^ ^1 " d^™" r'^' - :^.r :? rrntvo'^^'-Sx/Jrand^ -.aiightfootsC^-rthT?.^?',:- 26 SHIPWRECKS OF THE EOYAL NAVY. The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men; A thousand hearts beat happily; and when Music arose with its voluptuous sweU, Soft eyes looked love to eyes that spake again, And ail went merry as a marriage bell. Childb Habold. The night was calm and beautiful, and as the guests left the ship, little did they think of the fearful doom that was so soon to overwhelm many of those whose hands they had clasped for the last time. The weather continued perfectly calm till the e^'ening of the 4th of November, when some ominous looking clouds indicated an approaching storm. In addition to the Sceptre there remained in the Bay the Jupiter of 60 guns, the Oldenburg, a Danish 64 gun ship, and several other vessels. On the morning of the 5th, a strong gale blew from the north-west, but no danger was apprehended, and the ship, dressed in flags, and with the royal standard hoisted, fired her salute at noon in commemoration of the Gunpowder Treason. The gale had increased considerably by two o'clock, and as Table Bay affords no shelter from a north-west wind, the captain took every precaution to make all secure ; the topmasts were struck, and the fore and main- yards were lowered to ease the ship. But half-an-hour had not elapsed before the violence of the storm was such, that the ship parted from her best bower cable ; the sheet anchor was immediately let go, and the cable veered away to twenty-eight fathoms. The storm gathered strength, and at half-past six the whole fury of the elements seemed to be concentrated in one terrific blast. Orders were given to let go the anchor, with two of the forecastle guns attached; but even this proved insufficient to hold the ship. THE SCEPTRK. cable from her but in « fc„ '• P"^"* ">e end of a of distress had bel '^L °!,T* '"'"" «'8"»1 8™>8 hoisted downwardVTut ^',.?'' '^' "°''8n had been m that tempIZs 1 „?bL tT''*"'^'-«^ = the office™ who had g^e on s^ZT" ''™- ^""> "^ were standing on the beach utbTetrr"' '™'^« ance to their comrades anH^ ? ^ *'"'*'' ^ J' 8«™t- spectators of thTw2„ ''"'"' ""«"«'» ^"^^o Weshipfom^XiTMhlSr *" '^''°" '"- te4e7a:!l"'t^>tft™ *''^ ""'"^^ »' «>« wild cry of fire ■ and ^ t , """"« 8"°' "Me the the shL, in;''^m1hXt7'" 'r™"« ^-- opposing elemente of Sr sL a^ ^""^ "«« the the destmction of the UHaW JI" ''t''' "°'"'''''«d ^^ stood pandysed; bu'lt tl If ^P' ^"^ » *»=*»"*. «« the voices ^f the omLl^^J^. "^*- '^ eve^ man was ready at his^t " ~""^'^' '»" voluTesX^^XZ,^^- «>« hatches in such dense ^re were abortive S^>^3^^;?,V^'^*^8^* «»« come,-there was nolt sh^„ f *^' ""^ '^^^ «"»»• "as could be saved; it was t^rK"*^^ '"'P^ *''»t their Uves water: to quit the sulus te t'T °( "^""^ "^ &« or boat and its cw swlTed t W 4 '7 ""!' ^^ *■>« when the tempest raged less 7Jll 1 ^^"^"^ ''*™». was too far from the shorHo „ff I' '*" """'' »<» *« that the strongest swi^rr mil* '™° " "^ "^ ^ope the other hJd, to 70:^0^^^^ "^ *^» still more temble death-a b^nW 7^ to encounter a the waters. While the^J^f? ^"^'^ f^^ «°>i''- wave and men were dh^Tj I , j ^^ ■"^maming officers when the ^:^^^ ^'t^l^^^ ^^i but p.r!^hf .r .ri- -^tf S>;:^ -ana then ^ d^^^Tor ^^.f tf ^ ^ stncken spectators on the beach ^'^^~ theXtrtf/d:^;^^? -V-; ^rr^ »^ beings who Derishpr^ iV!^^ 7 ^"^^^^eds of human form! witl't^^el ^'thr' l'"" ■""'"''*^'J be^hfo.nnlesonth?S4t™:f ^^^^^^ *« their hold, however,ii rfX;"»^*^^,'^'" awiU time. ^hn^^eiltr^S.-^^-- «^^* 30 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. of these men were in a stupor, with their hands locked in the chain platea Among the incidents connected with the wreck, it is related that Mr. Buddie, a midshipman, (one of the few who escaped,) was cast upon the waves almost insensible. He had not strength to strike out for the beach, and he therefore merely tried to keep himself above water. This proved to be the means of saving his life, for he floated in a direction parallel with the shore, and avoided the huge pieces of w> eok by which all his companions who made directly for land (excepting three) were dashed to pieces. Mr. Buddie was nearly exhausted, when he caught hold of a small piece of timber that was floating near him; a nail which projected from it wounded him on the breast ; he fainted, and did not recover his senses until he found himself lying on the beach upon a heap of dead bodies. He attempted in vain to rise; for though he felt no pain, his left leg was broken, his knee cut almost half through, and his body mu,ch bruised. In this state he was discovered, and carried by some persons to a large fire until further assistance could be obtained, and he was then conveyed to the hospital. One of the officers of the Sceptre, who is still alive, and who happened to be on shore at the time this terrible catastrophe occurred, declares, that nothing imagination could conceive ever equalled the horrors of that night. When the first signals of distress were made from the Sceptre, the whole population of Cape Town, with the officers and soldiers of the garrison, crowded down to the beach, in the vain hope of being able to afford some assistance. The night was bitterly cold ; the wind blew with terrific violence, and the sea, lashed into fury, broke with a d ^'ening roar upon the beach. As night ap- proached, and darkness hid the vessel from their sight. ••*94 THE 8CEPTKK. 31 the feelmg, of the agonized spectators became aJmost dtth h^S t^r" '""^"^ '^-"-'' *"■'' *e work of AU aJong the beach large fires were lighted, as bea- ^e-^tn^ (before .|tiirei, l^^aTSfeX.^ mg m the d^tance. The hopes of the spectators reviv^ as she heeled on towards them, ard they aU stood rellv to give assistance whenever it should be avaTMe At Th -err -th/^s 7t:r -r-^r 3^-^^ aispiai^ the IS.; fot rt'd^rU's^r ne only help that the people on shore could render wh n^rSs^brghtTb^d" "^^"'^ ^^^"^^^y with ^' sl^"™"' '■"■^y-^^™" »» were saved, together oTllntTf Std^BuidT' bT -^^^''''■"»' ^^witr-a^--adr-rs:^^^. 32 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. 6ne hand grasping an open Bible, wliich was pressed to his bosom, the parting gift, perhaps, of a fond mother, who had taught the boy to revere in life that sacred volume, from which he parted not in death. Three wjgon-loads of the dead were next morning taJcen to a place near the hospital, and there buried. About one hundred bodies, shockingly mangled, were buried in one pit on the beach. The remains of all the officers (with the exception of Captain Edwards) were found, and were intened the following Sunday with mili- tary honours. The reader may be interested by being informed of a few of the providential escapes which were experienced by Lieutenant Jones (now Rear-Admiral Jones), one of the few survivors of the catastrophe above described. This officer had been midshipman of the Providence, discovery-ship, commanded by Captam WilHam Brough- ton, which vessel, after many dangerous vicissitudes, was finally wrecked among the Japanese Islands. Mr! Jones having faced all the dangers consequent on such a trying position, with difficulty escaped a watery grave, by taking refuge, with the rest of the officers and crew, on board the tender which accompanied this ill-fated ship. This great addition to her small comple- ment, and her want of accommodation, produced a viru- lent disease amongst the crew, from which Mr. Jones did not escape. On arrival at Macao, Mr. Jones was ordered a passage, with his surviving shipmates and crew of the Providence, to England, in the Swift, sloop of war, selected to convoy a large fleet of Indiamen. The even- ing before their departure, it was found that the accom- modation in the Swift was not sufficient for the super- numeraries, and, consequently, Mr. Jones and Lord George Stuart (also a midshipman of the Providence) were, by order of Captain Broughton, distributed among the mer- "ta^c THE SCEPTRE. BB But: :^cttr5^e tisrz'] *« ■""- - .*"« scattered and dMed S7' °™'*~'' *^*"'' '^''ich she wa8 seen for » .iTZT!-' ®"^ foundered ; »d she disappe Jd fe ter ^^^^ "'°'"^"* ""'"'' a state of mutinv th^ ^- v f '•^"'«'"l«"s, then in ashore, ffis co^a^ """^v'"' ^""^ ?"* ''^' "ffi^^^- he would Wten'riwro:^ \'"""'^' *'"«' at length restored on board thlxr^^ ^ Harmony was «^on, have already been described °° **■"* -;:;i:r!':^;:bXiS^^^^^ a gale on a rocky shL S„ -^^f « *" '''«^"<* '"» destruction thit L 1 T"'*"^ W^*^ her her, after kt^g' tfZlTi"7 ^"t '"'^<'"-<' crash amongst tUocfe ifthi, v^** ''''' ^^P«"^-l held by onl? one sZd ofihe ^bk He,? "T/"''* hoat (althouffh nearW <.„. jt' ^^'^■'ant Jones's ping of seasfneairand^tht^i"""^-* *'P- an opportunity, sprung L bLdlh hi^ttLT'^^ ^^t^'jXr^. e-rtiont ^Lffi S g a head. She had just reached the point of C o 34 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. safety, when her officers and crew, who witnessed her more favourable position, brought about by Lieutenant Jones's courage and perseverance,* returned on board, and Lieutenant Jones and his gallant followers rejoined their ship amidst the cheers of the fleet For this service Lieutenant Jones was sent for by the commander-in- chief, and thanked by him on the quarter-deck of his flag-ship. As lieutenant of the Naiad, this officer had the misfor- tune to be involved in a serious quarrel with his superior officer (Lieutenant Dean), and on that person using very abusive, and unofficer-like language. Lieutenant Jones struck him A court martial being held. Lieutenant Jones was condemned to death; but, in consideration *of the very provoking language used by Lieutenant Dean, and Lieutenant Jones's previous irreproachable conduct, his Majesty George the Third was graciously pleased to pardon him, and restore him to his former position in the Navy, while Lieutenant Dean was dis- missed the service. '•f<'4 85 THE QUBBN CHARLOTTE. commander-in.pli,-i:.f i.«- ^*""'"',*=P»*'^> ■L'Ord Howe, the earned hi3Xt&„,'?„„^ "^ ''-^ -0 '"e the ZZ^rf rf ^'''''t*" *^' ^^^rr^e^n. under our narrativp ^. ? "^^^'^^^ entering upon' mnt ;„ *v Tn . incident, that may be anna- ~ 1/*^ '^™^ '^"""' ""y ^^ti^g thatVe „E 31ttS:r.:;i^:-j)?:^-2 private sources. ***" information from tei^t tw!!' I'd'jr^twt""'' ^^'^^ ^'^ ^- who were :^^ he deokTZfd ^'^ l''\ *« "- the admiral's oabb near 7 '**'7f'* T"? "^^ <='"« »» to nsuaJ to keep TmSch bLl f "*^''' ^ '"'^* '* ^^ removing the hav a,!^! J •! ° ''^''^ '" *« «=* »f g Me hay, a portion of it was discovered to have \ 36 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. Ignited. Not a moment waa lost in giving th.3 alarm, and those at hand used every means in their pf>wer to extinguish the slumbering element; but the fire had been smouldering for some tune before it was discovered. The water thrown upon it from the buckets was useless ^the flames bursting forth with such violence that they baffled the most strenuous eflfbrts to overcome them. Such was the posture of affairs when the captain, officers, and men, alarmed by the cry of fire, rushed from all parts of the ship to the scene of conflagration. It would be no easy task to describe the feeUngs of a number of human bemgs thus suddenly and awfuUy awakened to the perils of their situation. For the moment, no doubt, fear pre- dommated over every other feeling, and a degree of confusion ensued. Nor can this be regarded with astonishment, when we remember that of all the dangers to which a saUor is famiHarized in his hazardous profes- sion, none is so fraught with horror as a fire at sea. 'Hie battle has no terror for him: he rushes to the conflict excited by the cheers of his comrades and the hopes of victory. Though fore and aft the blood stained deck. Should lifeless trunks appear. Or should the vessel float a wreck, The sailor knows no fear. He glories in the stormy sea, and in Hhe wild wind's roar : they fill him with a fierce delight, while with ^eady hand and steadfast heart he obeys the voice of his commander; he trusts to his good ship, and ' laughs at the storm and the battle.' But how differently does he feel, when roused from his deep slumber by the cry of fire. He rushes upon deck, but haJf awake, to meet an enemy far more terrible thai^ any he has yet encountered. He finds himself enveloped m a suffocatmg smoke-here and there gleams a lurid r^^f^r Tm; WEEN CEABLOTTE, jy he looka for httelS!?.^*'**'..''"'*''"^''*''-- I"va^ quench those &aaj ZT\^ T ^"^ «> "*»!« *» that serve but to u^^J^^t T^ -"/"^ "^ -' qmetlybut surely creeps on^'anTr '^^^''''^y but J«> weU. that if notV^S^t^ted tL'S'^''' ''"»^« ■Wh the powder ma«az£,e Jd^ V ^""^^ """t fragments strewed uZfrt. ? " * ^^^ «no"ldeiing the g^t ship^Sr S^t^,r *"^ ^^"^ »' it^^ntr :^;rrtL'- tt%^^^^ P-ted ^h^th^tened danger. Nor .VZ^l^^^'X ^'Z'i^\TZ^^Tr^'"^' (Mr-Bainbridge) ^-po^ssion of~tr V7'*W« " «J«mess ,Sd out the vessel, and ^*o^f^'''''™°"''**'^<»•g''- p^^ """"^^ o"**"- among the ship's com- en^t^rthTJ t! tSr.-'-^ *"- ^-. -d -eming for a momenttoZ fc of W °°' '''''^' »^*«'" Parison with that of his co^ " •''™ "^^^'^ ^ «""- All that man could doTrr™ " '^'"8«'- human foresight and prelL "f *.T '"* <'°"«i ^ut The flames darted ud thf • '•oJo^t'ess enemy, upon the boom, and now vL T"^' ■^*=''«^ the boats whole of the ^ualrdlcriom /"^'"""^'^'^'''^ driven save the captaTL Z"^ '""' *" ^"^ been nobly kept their poste ^' heutenant, who still 38 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Amongst those who more particularly distinguished themselves on this occasion (where all did their duty) waa Lieutenant the Hon. G. H. L. Dundaa This officer was roused from his sleep by the sentinel announcing to him that the ship was on fire. Springing from his cot, he hastily put on some clothes and attempted to ascend the after hatchway, but was driven back by the smoke. He then went to the main hatchway, and had almost reached the top of the ladder, when he was so over- powered, that he fell exhausted upon the middle deck. When he had in some degree recovered, he rushed to the fore hatchway and thence to the forecastle, where he found the first lieutenant, some petty officers, and the greater part of the ship's company. These were endeavouring to haul up the mainsail which was in flames. The carpenter, seeing Lieutenant Dundas, sug- gested that he might direct some of the men to sluice the lower decks, and secure the hatchways, to prevent the fire reaching that part of the ship. Mr. Dundas collected about seventy men, who volun- teered to accompany him, and descended to the lower decka The ports were opened, the cocks turned, and water thrown upon the decks. All the hammocks were cleared away, and as many people as could be spared were employed in heaving water upon the burning wood, rigging, and spars, which kept falling down the hatch- ways. The gratings were fastened down and covered over with wet blankets and hammocka In this way the lower deck was kept free from fire for some time, until at length it broke out in both of the transom cabins, and burnt forward with great rapidity. Mr. Dundas and his party did not leave that part of the ship, till several of the middle guns came through the deck. At nine o'clock, finding it impossible to remain longer below, he got out of one of the starboard lower deck I'woat- THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE. 39 ports, and reached the forecastlp ...:.:th. But the boats' crews, alarmed by the expi.>sion 01 the guns, which were most of them shotted, reluaed to approach nearer, and hove to. Seeing their hesitation, the crew of the Queen Charlotte gave them three cheers to encourage them. The English cheers seemed to have thi desaud effect, for agam the boats pulled towards the hapless vessel; but it was afterwards discovered that this renewed a<;tivity was entirely owing to the persuasions of Lieut. Stewart and other English o&cers who were in the boats. .V, ^""1 ^^?*^' "^^"^ ™ watching with intense anxiety the destruction of his noble ship, used every possible effort to induce the Tuscans to put to sea; but his entreaties, backed as they were by the commands of the governor and other authorities, had no influence save with a few only, and even these, when they did venture to the rescue, were with great difficulty prevailed upon to approach the vessel. A boat from an American ship presented a striking contrast. She was manned by three men only, who, in their generous ardour to save the lives */^«^^ fellow-creatures, came alongside too incautiously, so that the wretched sufferersfrom the bumingdeck leaped into the boat m such numbers that she capsized, and every one of them perished. The fire had now adv^ced so rapidly tha,t it was impossible to bear the heat on the forecastle, a^d naost of the people got on to the bowsprit and Jib-boom. The latter, however, gave way under the pressure, and numbers were precipitated into the water ana drowned. The boats headed by Lieutenant Stewart, approached about ten o clock, and the people continued dropping into THE QUEEN CHABLOrrE 4X Aemfrom the ship for «,me time. Captain Todd and olJ^T^:..^^ "^^^ '"« ^°»--« — t of the m«n^! ^^ f i^ ■"' J»a«nch,TtX had^^^;*,^^"- J-P^' htre7.r*''««^-^'p--"wi^'r And first one universal shriek there rush'd. O^l-'' ^t"" *?' ^""^ °''^*^' lit« a crash SatT ^^.^^^.^'^d *te- all was hush'd. Save the wild wind and the remorseless dash Of biUuws: but at intervals there gushed Accompanied with a convulsive splash,' A sohtary shnek, the bubbling cry Of some strong swimmer in his agony. LoBD BYBOJfT. 'The horror of the scene,' writes Admiral Tottv '«r,A the screams of the unhappy sufferers, at tie mlL tSe S T ^'"^' '^ "^ ■*" P"''- of descri;t"r W la7h^5of7: f^SKli-gwith the waves'attemp^dTo u^ri?^^Kt;:jrxrrett;x 46 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Captain Rennie remained in his ship till she sank. He then attempted to swim to the launch, and by great exertion got within reach of her oars, when, too much exhausted to make any further effort, he was seen to raise his hands as if in supplication to Heaven, then putting them before his face, sank into his watery grave. All the other commissioned officers, with the exception of Lieutenants Robert Tucker and Charles Quart, perished. Captain Rennie had distinguished himself, when a lieutenant, at the Helder; and Admiral Mitchell had mentioned him in such high terms of commendation in his public despatches, that he was made a post-captain. After remaining for some time unemployed, he was appointed to the Invincible, and proud of his first com- mand, full of life and hope, he had just put to sea when this melancholy catastrophe closed a career that held out such bright prospects for the future. We must not be supposed to have more feeling for an officer than for the men before the mast. If we dwell with peculiar sorrow upon the loss of a brave commander like Captain Rennie, it is not that we are indifferent to the fate of the four hundred gallant men who perished with him ; but there is something in human nature that compels even the most generous spirit to speak more of the loss of a man in a responsible station than others; and one reason for this may be, that our hopes under God, for the safety of our fleets and our armies, rest on our brave and efficient commanders. No one can read such records of British seamen, as appear in this volume, without joiniug heart and soul in the sentimect expressed by the poet : — To them your dearest rights you owe; In peace, then, would you starve themp Wliat "^ay ye, Britain's aonsP Oh, no! Protect them and preserve them ; THE INVINCIBLE. 4,- Sh^Id them from poverty and pain; Tis policy to do it: and West InXL' tt^t^^urrrC;'^ ^"" jue„t., p.„.oted, a„a appoinjd tothf^rnlt !>■» ship sprung her foremast, and y,7X^ **■ so much damaged, that he'waa S tltT ! Curacoa. Whilst rpfi+fi«^ i, Y^^^pa to put in at tion tU Grit Briiln !Sd ?rTT'' P"™*^ ^^"^ declared enemierHe ^t f°"»d '.ould ere long be hasten hia deP„re,''a:d 'rhrshbt TT ^^"^ *° he had wa^ed her to the head otf^It\"' ''*■ "^^ prize schooner which he h JT «f the harbour, when a Hood returned from l^^„i''P''*"^?<' *" Commodore future guidJe/'^^Se'Tfficr*::' ^ttf f "^ mcautiously permitted his vessel! S Al °'"'™^"" ment wharf, when some of Tl^ It ll ,.' ^"™"'- tanity imprudently afforded thl t^."'' "PP"''- and reported that the Bri&h tr^i" T "^ ^'"^' hostilities. "^ '^'■"^'^y commenced consider himself a pltXlr 7filff ''^ ""'^' put under strict surveUlance and h, tit ^ T °°* the wea^ hours in takTng'Ins of rH ""'^I"^'^ teries of the island His occunM on ho '""^ "''*■ discovered and l,iol,l„ !i- ^ , ' '«'w«™'', was soon vered, and highly disapproved by the authorities, 48 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. who immediately placed him in close confinement in a room of the barracks. On the first night of his captivity two musket-balls were fired into his room, one of which struck a table at which he had been seated a few moments before. These murderous attempts were frequently repeated during his imprisonment, and he must inevitably have been shot in his bed, had he not taken the precaution of constantly moving its position, and thus baffled the treacherous designs of his cowardly assailants. A friendly warning was given to him, that where bullets failed, poison mi^ t succeed ; and he was thence- forth obliged to watch most narrowly, lest it should be administered in his food. In this wretched state of sus- pense, he lingered for four months, when happUy he and his officers were released in exchange for nine Dutch clergymen. We regret that our pen should have to record such treachery as that we have described. We ask, and others have asked, were these soldiers and gaolers free men and Christians, or were they slaves and heathens ? It must, however, be remembered that politics ran very high at that time ; and in this particular instance, at the outbreak of a war, men's minds were half frantic, and we must not judge of the character of a nation by the isolated acts of a petty colonial government. i If 49 THE GRAPPLER. C^t^^^f ^^ Z ^^'^^' '' ^ ^^"P -^ inlets lying off J^.! 'T*-'^ Normandy, about twenty mileriom Jersey, and nine from Granville Tlip^ ffw T ^. ;^, and west, and cover a ^I^e^of I^S^ytZ'^t The pnncipaJ of them is caJled the Maitre Is^I^dt the resort of a few French fishermen dming the^^ J but being only a rock, and totally devoid of veZ^n^' Its mhabitants are entirely dependent on the SZ' ng shores for all the necessaries of life, ex ep'^'Z their nets may produce. At the time of which weT* wntmg, the winter of isn^ +v,- <^. ^ ^® the hands nf^T ?\ .' "^ ^^''P ^^ islets was in tne hands of the English, and was the scene of the wreck oi the Grappler m that year. liberty, after which he wa^ to touch at the island, nf with fiiteen days' provisions. ^ no.h Side of^sz;:;t\'l:i?;,r: -^.tn*^ rsSnsiSS3€inJ -eans easy of accea, and are avfilabie ^ly":, 1^^° 2> pa 52 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. determined to attack them before they had time to recover themselves. On communicating his intention to his boat's crew, they dashed forwards at once with a loud cheer, but had scarcely pulled a dozen strokes when a body of soldiers, who had been concealed behind some rocks on the Maitre Isle, poured in so severe a fire that Lieutenant Thomas, seeing the superiority of the French in point of numbers, thought it prudent to retreat. No sooner had he given orders to do so, than a shot struck him on the lower jaw and passed through his tongue, rendering him incapable of further exertion. A second volley of musketry riddled the boat, so that she began to fill with water, and finding that they had no alternative but to surrender, the English made a signal to that eflfect, which was either unobserved, or purposely disregarded, as the firing did not cease till the arrival of the oflficer in command of the French, when the little party were all made prisoners. Upon Lieutenant Thomas being carried on shore, he found that he had fallen into the hands of a Capitaine de Frigate, who commanded a detachment of fourteen boats and a hundred and sixty men. As soon as the captives were landed, a party of the French troops proceeded to the wreck of the Grappler, and made prisoners of the men who were on the adjacent rock, and after seizing all the stores and provisions, they blew up the remains of the brig. When Lieutenant Thomas had partially recovered from the faintness and insensibility caused by his wound, he handed his pocket-book to the French officer. After reading the orders of Sir James Saumarez, which it con- tained, this officer expressed much regret that Lieutenant Thomas had been so seriously wounded, and alleged that the troops had fired without his orders. Such was the apology of the French commander, but it certainly does not tell well for the discipline of his troops, nor is it easy »7a< THE ORAPPLER. $9 to understand how so large a body of men could be left without a commissioned officer even for a moment, much less how they could have kept up a continued fire, which this seems to have been. Perhaps, however, it is not tair to comment too severely upon the conduct of the J^rench on this occasion; the signal of surrender might not have been observed, and as the EngUsh had com- menced the attack, the enemy may naturally have sup- posed that a larger force was shortly advancing to the support of their comradea We should also bear in mind that the war had just broke out anew, after a short cessation of hostUities, and that national animosity was at its height. "^ Thus far we may attempt to palliate the conduct of the French, but it might naturally be supposed that upon leammg from his papers the errand of mercy upon which Lieutenant Thomas had been engaged, the French officer would have done all in his power to alledate the suffenngs of his prisoner, and have shown him every mark of courtesy and attention. However this may be no sooner were all arrangements completed, than the pnsoners were marched to the boats, and Lieutenant Ihoma^ was handed over to the care of two grenadiers, with directions that every attention should be paid to him; but the officer's back was scarcely turned when these grenadiers, agisted by some of their comrades stripped poor Thomas of all his clothes, broke open his trunk, which had been restored to him, and appropriated to themselves every article of value that he poLssed. Having secured theu- plunder, they dragged their unfor- tunate victma to the beach, regardless of his wound and suffermgs, and after gagging him with a pocket-hand- kerchief, threw him on the deck of one of their boats. The wind blowing fresh on their passage to Granville, S4 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. which was three leagues from Chaussey, the greater part of the soldiers were prostrated by sea-sickness, whilst the seamen were in such a state of intoxication, that had Lieutenant Thomas been able to rise, or to communicate with his fellow- prisoners, he might easily have over- powered the French, and gained possession of the vessel. If such an idea flashed across his mind, it was but for a moment : he could neither speak nor move, and lay for many hours exposed to the insulting jeers of the French, and the inclemency of the weather. It was late at night when they landed at Granville, but the naval and military staflF waited upon Mr. Thomas the next morning, and told him that it was the intention of the authorities to send him back to England, in consideration of his kindness to the French prisoners. The expectation raised in the English officer's breast by these promises were, to the disgrace of the French government of that day, never realized. He was thrown into prison, and treated with the utmost severity; in vain did he protest against this injustice — in vain did he represent that he was engaged on no hostile expedition at the time of his capture, which, moreover, was not through the fortune of war, but through the violence of the elements. He was kept in close confinement at Verdun for ten years, and when he was at last released, liberty was scarcely a boon to him. The damp of his prison, and the suflferings attendant on his wound, had impaired his eyesight, and otherwise so injured his constitution, that he was no longer fit for active service. He was, however, promoted to the rank of commander immediately on his return to England : this rank he still holds, but the best years of his life had been spent in captivity, and- his hopes of promotion were not realized till too late for the enjoyment of its honours, or for the service of his country. '™»«"' 55 THE APOLLO. 'PHE following account of the loss of the Apollo of 36 J- guns, Captain J. W. T. Dixon, is taken almost ver- batim from the narrative of Mr. Lewis, clerk of the ship, an eye-witness of the occurrence. His narrative is too graphic to be suppressed:— 'On Monday, the 26th of March, 1804, His Majesty's ship Apollo sailed from the Cove of Cork in company with the Carysfort, and sixty-nine sail of merchantmen under convoy, for the West Indies. On the 27th, we were out of sight of land, with a fair wind blowing fresh from the west-south-west. At eight o'clock on the evening of Sunday, the 1st of April, the wind shifted from south-west to south-east. At ten o'clock, we up mainsail and set mainstay-sail. At a quarter past ten, the mainstay-sail split by the sheet giving way. All hands were called upon deck. It blew strong and squally; we took in the foretop-sail and set the foresail. At half-past eleven the maintop-sail split; furled it and the mainsail. The ship was now under her foresails, the wind blowing hard, with a heavy sea. 'At about half-past three on Monday morning, April 2nd, the ship struck the ground, to the astonishment of every one on board, and by the last reckoning, we con- jectured we were upon an unknown shoal. ' The vessel struck very heavily several times, by which her bottom was materially injured, and she made a great deal of water. The chain pumps were rigged with the utmost despatch, and the men began to pump, but in about ten minutes she beat and drove over the shoal, and on ideavouring to steer her, they found her rudder was carried away. The ship was then got before the IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / ■'^ ^ .^i.. V .V4 <■ *^M% 4?. y. s 1.0 I.I lti|2i 12.5 ■SO "^^ IMH^I UUL- 1.8 1.25 1 1.4 |||||i.6 ^ 6" : ► ^^'l'^ y Photogr^hic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) d72-4503 •XJI ^ z x$> ^ 56 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVT. wind, the pumps were kept going, but from the quantity of water shipped, there was every probability- of her soon foundering, as she was filling and sinking very fast *After running about five minutes, the ship struck the ground again with such violent shocks, that we feared she would go to pieces instantly; however, she kept striking and drivicg further on the sands, the sea wash- ing completely over her. Orders were given to cut away the lanyards of the main and mizen rigging, when the masts fell with a tremendous crash over the larboard- side : the foremast followed immediately after. The ship then fell on her starboard-side, with the gunwale under water. The violence with which she struck the groimd and the weight of the guns (those on the quarter-deck tearing away the bulwarks) soon made the ship a perfect wreck abaft, and only four or five gims could possibly be fired to alarm the convoy and give notice of danger. *0n her drifting a second time, most pitiful cries were heard everywhere between decks; many of the men giving themselves up to inevitable death. I was told that I might as well stay below, as there was an equal likelihood of perishing if I got upon deck. I was, how- ever, determined to go — ^and attempted, in the first place, to enter my cabin, but I waa in danger of having my legs broken by the chests floating about, and the bulk- heads giving way. 'I therefore desisted and endeavoured to get upon deck, which I effected after being several times washed down the hatchway by the immense body of water incessantly pouring down. As the ship still beat the ground very heavily, it was necessary to cling fast to some part of the wreck to save oneself from- being washed away by the surges, or hurled overboard by the concussions. The people held on by the larboard bulwark of the quarter- THE APOLLO. ff7 deck and in the main-chains. The good captain stood naked upon the cabin skylight grating, making use of every soothing expression that suggested itself—to en- c^irage men in such a perilous situation. Most of the officers and men were entirely naked, not having had time to slip on even a pair of trousers. 'Our horrible situation became eveiy moment more dregful, until at daybreak, about half-past four o'clock, we discerned land at two cables' distance, a long sandy beach reaching to Cape Mondego, three leagues to the southward of ua On dayKght clearing up, we could perceive between twenty and thirty saU of the convoy ashore, both to northward and southward, and several of them perfect wrecks. We were now certain of being on the coast of Portugal, from seeing the cape mentioned above —though I am sorry to say no person in the ship had the least idea of being so near the coast. It was blowmg very hard, and the sea was running mountains high, so that there was Httle hope of being saved. About eight o'clock, the ship seemed likely to go to pieces, and the after-part lying lowest, Captain Dixon ordered every one forward,— a command it was difficult to comply with, from the motion of the mainmast working on the larboard gunwale, there being no other way to get for- ward. Mr. Cook, the boatswam, had his thigh broken in endeavouring to get a boat over the side. Of six boats not one was saved, aU being stoved, and washed overboard with the booms, &c. *Soon after the people got forward, the ship parted at the gangwaya The crew were now obliged to stow themselves m the fore-channels, and from thence to the bowsprit end, to the number of 220,— for, out of the 240 persons on board when the ship first struck, I suppose twenty to have previously perished between d3 58 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. decks and otherwise. Mr. Lawton, the gunner, the first who attempted to swim ashore, was drowned; afterwards, Lieutenant Witson, Mr. Bunice, surgeon, Mr. McOabe, surgeon's mate, Mr. Staudley, master's mate, and several men, were also drowned (though they were excellent swimmers), by the sea breaking over them in enormous surgea About thirty persons had the good fortune to reach the shore upon planks and spars, amongst whom were Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Callam, master's mate. On Monday night, our situation was truly horrible; the old men and boys were dying from hunger and fiatigue ; Messra Proby and Hayes, midshipmen, died also. Captain Dixon remained all night upon the bowsprit 'Tuesday morning presented no better prospect of relief from the jaws of death. The wind blew stronger, and the sea was much more turbulent About noon, our drooping spirits were somewhat revived by seeing Lieu- tenant Harvey and Mr. Callam hoisting out a boat from one of the merchant ships to come to our assistance. They attempted several times to launch her through the surf; but she was a very heavy boat, and the sea on the beach acted so powerfiilly against them, they could not effect their purpose, though they were assisted by nearly one hundred of the merchant sailors and Portuguese peasants. This day, several men went upon rafts made from pieces of the wreck; but not one reached the shore; the wind having shifted, and the current setting out, they were all driven to sea, and amongst them our captain aiid three sailors. Anxious to save the remainder of the ship's company, and too sanguine of getting safe on shore, he had ventured upon the spar, saying, as he jumped into the sea, 'Myjads, I'll save you all' In a few seconds, he lost his hold of the spar, which he could not regain: he drifted to sea, and perished: and such THE APOLLO. 59 was also the fate of the three brove volunteers who shared his fortune. 'The loss of our captain, who had hitherto animated the almost lifeless crew, and the failure of Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Callam, in their noble exertions to launch the boat, extinguished every gleam of hope, and we looked forward to certain death on the ensuing night not only from cold, hunger, and fatigue, but from the expectation that the remaining part of the wreck might go to pieces at any moment. Had not the ApoUo been a new and well-built ship,that smaU portion of her could not have resisted the waves, and held so well together, when all the after-part from the chess-tree waa gone, the star- board bow under water, and the forecastle deck nearly perpendicular. The weight of the guns hanging to the larboard bulwark on the inside, jad on the outside the bower and spare anchors, which it waa not prudent to cut away, as they afforded a resting-place to a consi- derable number of men, added to the danger. It had become impossible to remain any longer in the head, or upon the bowsprit, the breakers washing continually over those places, so that one hundred and fifty men were stowed in the fore-channels and cat's head, where alone it was possible to live. ' The night drawing on, the wind increasing, with fre- quent showers of rain, the sea washing over us, and the expectation becoming every instant more certain, that the forecastle would give way, and that we must aU perish together, afforded a spectacle truly deplorable, and the bare recollection of which makes me shudder. The piercing cries of the people, this dismal night, as the sea washed over them every two minutes, were pitiful in the extreme. The water running from the head down over the body kept us continually wet. On that fearful night 60 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. every man's strength was exerted for his own individual safety. From crowding so close together in so narrow a compass, and having nothing to moisten their mouths, several poor wretches were suffocated, like those in the black hole, — ^with only this difference, that we were con- fined by water instead of strong walls; and the least movement or relaxation of our hold would have plunged us into eternity. ' Some unfortunate men drank salt water, several en- deavoured to quench their raging thirst by a still more unnatural means; some chewed leather, myself and many others thought we experienced great relief by tshewing lead, as it produced saliva. ' In less than an hour after the ship had struck the ground, all the provisions were under water, and the sbip a wreck, so that we were entirely without food. After a night of most intense suffering, daylight enabled us to «ee Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Callam again endeavour- ing to launch the boat. Several attempts were made without success, aiid a number of men belonging to the merchant ships were much bruised and injured in their efforts to assist. Alternate hopes and fears possessed our wretched minds. * Fifteen men got safe on shore this morning, on pieces of the wreck. About three p.m., of Wednesday, the 4th, we had the inexpressible happiness of seding the boat launched through the surf, by the indefatigable exertions of the two officers, assisted by the masters of the merchant ships, and a number of Portuguese peasants, who were encouraged by Mr. Whitney, the British Consul from Figuera. 'All the crew then remaining on the wreck were brought safe on shore, praising God for this happy deliverance, from a shipwreck which never yet had its parallel. THE APOLLO. «1 * As soon as I sUpt out of the boat, I found several persons whose humanity prompted them to offer me refreshment, though imprudently, in the form of spirits, which I avoided as much as possible. * Our weak state may be conceived when it is remem- bered that we had tasted no nourishment from Sunday to Wednesday afternoon, and had been exposed all that time to the fuiy of the elements. After eating and drinkmg a Uttle, I found myself weaker than before owmg, I imagme, to having been so long without food' borne men died soon after getting on shore, from taking too large a quantity of spirits. The whole of the crew were in a veiy weak and exhausted state, and the greater part of them were also severely bruised and wounded.' Such IS Mr. Lewis's account of the wreck of the Apollo, one of our finest frigates, and the loss of her captam and sixty of her men. The cause of this catastrophe seems to have been an error m the reckoning. At twelve o'clock on Sundav the land was supposed to be thirty or forty leagued distant^^ nor were they aware of their true portion when the vessel struck at three o'clock the following mormng, on what was supposed to be an unknown shoai Never, perhaps, in the annaJs of maritune disaster was there a scene more rife with horror than that upon which thedayhght broke on the morning of the 2nd of April The fngate, which but a few hours before had been careenng on her way with her gallant company full of life and energy, now lay a hapless wreck~her timbers crashing beneath the fury of the wavea The merchant vessels axound were str^ded in all directions, and the board, ^e destruction of tiie ApoUo seemed inevitable- but m this hour of trial, the captain was firm and resolute, sustaming by words and example the courage of ^ SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. his crew ; and when no other means of escape presented themselves, he sacrificed his own life in the endeavour to obtain rescue for those under his chairga The narrator of this sad tale has touchingly described in no exaggerated terms the sufferings of the wretched crowd who were exposed for nearly three days and nights to the worst of physical and mental evils — ^hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness — in their most aggravated form, rendered still more painful by the almost utter hope> lessness of their condition, while they watched the repeated failures of Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Callam in their attempts to send a boat to their relief. We need not therefore dwell on this subject further than to observe that, under Providence, it was by the undaunted courage' and perseverance of those two officers that the remainder of the crew of the Apollo were saved from destruction — ^for no one else had been found bold enough to attempt their rescue, although the Consul of Figuera had offered 100 guineas to any man that would take a boat to the wreck. No less than forty merchantmen were wrecked at the same time. Several sunk with all their crew, and the remainder lost from two to twelve men each. Yet Mr. Lewis describes the situation of these ships as not so dangerous as that of the frigate, because the merchant- men, drawing less water, were driven closer in to shore, and the men were enabled to land after the first morning. The Apollo's company received every mark of kind- ness and attention when they got on shore, from the masters of the merchant vessels, who had erected tents on the beach, and who shared with the sufferers whatever provisions they had saved from the wrecka Dead bodies floated on shore for many dayc after, and pieces of wreck covered the beach, marking the scene of THE APOLLO. 63 thw sad calamity. Fortunately, the Carysfort, with part of the oonvoy, escaped the fate of her consort by wearing and arrived safely at Barbadoes. The surviving officeS and crew of the ApoUo marched to Figueia, a distance of eighteen mUes, from whence they were conveyed in a schooner to Lisbon, and brought by the Orpheus frigate to Portsmouth. ^ On their arrival in England, they were tried by a court martial; and it is satis&ctory to know that they were all fully acquitted. It is a principal object in this work to draw attention to the advantages of firm and steady disdpUne in aU ^8 of emergency. We cannot, therefore, omit to show that when a spirit of insubordination breaks out under circumstances of danger, how surely it is attended with latal result& In the course of the evidence adduced before the court of mquuy upon the loss of the ApoUo, it was proved that about twenty of her men had broken into the spirit room; disorder, of course, ensued; and Lieutenant Harvey gave it a^i his opinion, that if these men had remained sober, many Uves might have been spared. There is so much cause for regret in the whole catastrophe, that we mU not harshly impute blame to one party or another. We may see some palliation for the misconduct of the men m the awful situation m which they were placed— their fears, perhaps, made them forgetful alike of their duty to their king, their country, and themselves; but it IS cheermg to know that such cases are rare in the British Navy and we are happy in having very few such to record: they are alluded to only in the hope that our seamen may learn from them to value that strict dis- ciphne and order, which, in a moment of danger, is their greatest safeguard. . © > 64 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROTAL NAYT. lieutenant, now Rear Admiral, Harvey subsequently served in the Amethyst, Amaranthe, and Intrepid. His promotion to the rank of commander took place in 1808, when he was appointed to the Cephalus, in the Mediter- ranean, and there he captured four of the enemy's privateers, and several merchant vessela His post com- mission bears date April 18, 1811, and he was employed o£f Corfu till the month of December following. His last ship was the Implacable, which he paid off in 1814. He obtained his flag as rear-admiral in December, 1847. This officer now holds the appointment of Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard. THE HINDOSTAN. IN the year 1804, the Government sent out the Hin- dostan, a store-ship, of 64 guns, and 1100 tons, laden with supplies for Lord Nelson, then commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet This ship was commanded by Captain Le Gros, with 259 persons on board, including passengers, women, and children. She arrived at Gibraltar in the month of March, and sailed again from thence in company with the Phcebe frigate, to join Lord Nelson off Toulon, but she was separated from her consort during a heavy gale of wind, in the Gulf of Lyon& On the 2nd of April, at about seven o'clock in the morning, the ship being then thirteen leagues to the south-east of Cape St. Sebastian, a thick smoke was observed to issue from the fore and main hatchways. Lieutenant Tailour, who was on the quarter-deck, heard the cry of " fire," and saw the people rushing up the THE HIND08TAN. 65 hatchway in the midst of volumes of smoke, coming from the orlop deck. He instantly called for the drummer and the mate of the watch, and desired the former to beat to quarters, and the latter to inform Captain Le Gros of what had occurred, whilst he himself would go below, and endeavour to ascertain the cause and the place of the fire. lieutenant Tailour then went down into the orlop gratmgs, and penetrated some distance into each tier ; the smoke was very thick in both, particularly forward. He next went to the sail room, where there was no appearance of either fire or smoke. He was then joined by Lieutenant Banks and several other officers, and they proceeded together to the hold. Here the smoke was very dense, and it affected the throat like that from hot tar. The officers were satisfied, upon inquiry, that there had not been either light or tar in the hold. They then tried to re-enter the tiers, but were driven back by the suffocating smoke. The absence of heat, however, con- vinced them that the fire was not in that part of the ship. A cry was heard that the fire was down forward, — ^but we will use Lieutenant Tailour's own words to describe the scene. He says: — ' When I reached the fore-ladder, none being able to tell me where the fire was, I went down to examine; when at the orlop, I put my head over the spars which were stowed in the starboard side, then behind the ladder in the larboard side ; the smoke came thickest in the starboard side from aft; feeling nothing like fire heat, I attempted to go down to the cockpit, but ere I reached the third or fourth step on the ladder, I felt myself overpowered, and called for help. Several men had passed me upwards on my way down, none I believe were below me. By the time I came up to the orlop ladder, some one came and helped me; when I reached ^ l!l 99 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. the lower deck, I fell, but not, as many did that day, lifelesa' When Lieutenant Tailour recovered, he made strict inquiries whether any fire had been discovered in the cockpit or storerooms, and being assured that there had not, he ordered the lower deck to be scuttled. So energetic was this officer, that eight or ten minutes only had elapsed since the first alarm had been given, before the hammocks were all got on deck, and the ports opened, to give light and room below, until the place of fire could be discovered, and better means obtained for drawing water. Mr. Tailour did not recover from the suffocation so fast as he expected, and was obliged to go upon deck for air. There he found Captain Le Qros in consultation with the master, who, being of opinion that the fire was on the larboard side, gave orders to wear the ship, so as to allow the water which had been hove in to flow over her. Mr. Tailour differed from them, and said he was convinced that the fire was on the orlop starboard side. In a few minutes he again went below and assisted in working the engine, and giving directions for scuttling on the larboard side, where the smoke appeared most dense. The engine, however, proved of little avail, for the smoke increased to such a degree as to prevent the people working on the orlop deck ; the hatches were, therefore, laid over, the ports lowered, everything covered up, and all means used to prevent the circulation of air. Having -aken these precautions. Lieutenant Tailour reported to Captain Le Gros what had been done, and at the same time advised that the boats should be got out, without loss of time. The captain seems to have objected to this, on the plea that if the boats were got out, the people would all crowd into them, and abandon the ship without an effort to save her. To this objection Mr. Tailour r. i that day, made strict 3red in the b there had )en minutes been given, id the ports )he place of btained for r from the >liged to go Le Gros in pmion that to wear the hove in to n, and said p starboard tnd assisted M scuttling Jared most lil, for the the people therefore, 3d up, and ir. Having eported to b the same it, without ted to this, the people lip without J. Tailour THE HINDOSTAN. e7 replied, that to save hunun life must be their first con- sideration, and that every moment's delay was fraught with peril and death. ' If we wait,' said he, ' till the last moment, it may not be possible to save any; we can get the marines under anna' Captain Le Gros yielded the point; he directed the sergeant of marines to get his men under arms, with orders to load with ball, and to shoot without hesitation the first man who should attempt to go into the boats without permission. All hands were then turned up, and the command given to * out boata' The order waa promptly executed, and as soon as the boats were out and secure for towing, the ship's head was pointed to the north-west, with the view of nearing the land, and in hopes that she might fall in with the Juno. In the meantime, a party waa employed in getting the booms overboard for a raft, the fore and main gratings were laid up and covered over, and Lieutenant Banks was sent down to get the powder out of the magazine, and stow it away in the stem gallery. He could only partially accomplish this; for the smoke in- creased upon them so much that the men were obliged to desist. The powder they had got up was thrown over- board, and water was poured down to drown that which remained; but the task of filling the magazine was hopeless, and therefore abandoned. Many of the men were drawn up apparently lifeless, amongst whom were Lieutenant Banks and the gunner. Lieutenant Tailour then went below to ascertain how matters were going on; he found only the boatswain's mate in the cockpit, who was almost stupified by the smoke. Mr. Tailour assisted hiip to reach the deck, and then the gallant officer was preparing to return to the magazine, taking a rope with him by way of precaution, when Lieutenant Banks, with noble generosity, darted past him, also with a rope in his hand, and descended on the dangerous service; but in a es SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. i ^ m I short time he was drawn up in a state of insensibility. All hope of doing anything with the magazine was then given up; but although the smoke was so powerful below, it had not yet got possession of the aiter-part of the lower deck. It was therefore proposed, and the proposition was im- mediately acted on, to cut scuttles through the starboard foremost cabin in the ward-room, and one under it in the gun-room, into the magazine. This was found more prac- ticable than was at first supposed, as the cabins kept out the smoke. When they were cutting these scuttles, the smoke came up in such dense volumes through the after- hatchway, that it was necessary to shut it closely up, and the scuttle in the after-part of the captain's cabin was opened for a pas&^e to the ward-room, and they began to haul up the powder, and heave it overboard out of the gaUery windows. The ward-room doors, and every other passage for the smoke were carefully closed, and thus it was kept tolerably well under; yet many of the men employed in the duty were taken up to all appear- ance dead. Amongst them we again find Lieutenant Banks, and Mr. Pearce, the gunner. We cannot proceed without expressing the admiration we feel for the heroism and self-devotion displayed by officers and men. This is the third time we have seen Lieutenant Banks risk his life in the performance of his duty, and it was not the last of such eflforts to save the vessel and the lives of his fellow-sufferers. For the present, we will again adopt the language of Lieutenant Tailour:— ' About noon,' said he, * I went aft upon the poop, where many were collected, but the marines were drawn up on duty upon the poop above. Francis Burke, the purser's steward, was lying dead on one of the arm chests, said to have been suffocated by the smoke below. Soon after this, mv n+.t^nfion woo r»i5l^ THE HINDOSTAN. isensibility. e was then ) powerful Tter-part of on was im- e starboard er it. in the more prac- is kept out mttles, the 1 the after- jly up, and cabin was hey began ird out of and every losed, and iny of the ill appear- jieutenant 3t proceed le heroism 1. This is s risk his s not the ves of his nguage of ' I went 1, but the op above, dead on seated by itioi) was drawn forward, where a vast body of smoke issued fron^ the hatchway, gallery doors, funnels, and scuttles, which I soon saw were blown off; I rushed forward and got them secured agam, and in coming aft found the hatches had all been blown off; the two foremost main-gratings had gone down the hatchway. The after one I assisted to replace, also the tarpaulin, which was excessively hot, and left the carpenter to get it secured on. I next thought of the magazine, where I dreaded some accident. On my wa,y aft, I met some people again bringing Mr. Banks up in their arms. On reaching the ward-room, I saw through the windows the stem ladders filled with people ; I broke a pane of glass, and ordered them on the poop, threatenmg instant death to any one who dared disobey. On their begmning to move up, I just took time to summons the men from the magazine, and went up to the poop to see every one was once more under the eye of the marines. This done, the smoke having in a great measure subsided, the maintop-sail was filled, and top-gallant sails set.' • About two o'clock in the afternoon, when they had been seven hours contending with the fire and smoke, land was discerned through the haze, on the weather-bow, and it was supposed to be above Cape Creux. Captain Le Gros, fearing the signals might fall into the enemy's hands, hove them all overboard. The sight of land gave a turn to the men's thoughts, and spurred them on to ^xeater exertion. The fire rapidly increased ; but the efforts of the captain and his noble crew increased with the danger. Again they attempted to clear the magazine; but the smoke again drove the men from below, and rendered them powerless. Their courage was, indeed, kept up by the sight of land, though still five leagues distant; but there was still much to be done-^ruany perils yel y 70 SHIi?WRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. 1 1 . ! n surrounded them — and it was awful to feel that fire and water were contending for the mastery, and that they must be the victims of one of these elements, unless by the mercy of God the progress of the conflagration was stayed, and time allowed them to reach the distant shore. The fire was increasing fearfully; so much so, that Lieutenant Tailour describes the lower deck * burn- ing like the flame in an oven.' All communication was cut off firom the fore-part of the ship. The flames flew up the fore and main hatchways as high as the lower yards, but still the brave crew remained firm to their duty; and by keeping tarpaulins over the hatchways, and pouring down water, they managed for a time to keep the fire from taking serious hold abaft. But the crisis was fast approaching when human skill and human fortitude could be of no avail. In defiance of all their exertions and precautions, the devouring ele- ment pursued its course. Every moment it was gaining aft; and had not officers and men been true to them- selves and to each other, they must all have perished. The mizenmast was on fire in the captain's cabin, and the flames were bursting from all the lee-porta It was now a quarter past five o'clock, and they were entering the Bay of Rosas. Could they venture to hold on their way, and still remain in the ship ? A moment's glance around him sufficed for Captain Le Gros to decide the question. The now triumphant element was no longer smouldering and creeping stealthily onwards amidst smoke and darkness, but with a lurid glare, and a sullen roar, the flames rolled on. The word was given to launch the raft ; it was obeyed, and in a few minutes more the vessel struck, about a mile from the beach, between the Fort of Ampurius and the Church of St. Pierre. She was now on fire both fore and aft. Self- preservation is the law of nature, it is said : hut thfirA THE HINDOSTAN. 71 r a time to IS a stronger law governing the actions of the British seamen. Officers and men were of one mind. They aU united in putting first the women and children then the sick and the foreigners, into the launch. The two yawls and the jolly-boat took as many as they could ^ from the stem, and put them on board some bpamsh boats from La Escada, which had been sent to then- assistance, but which neither threats nor entreaties could avail to bring near to the ship. The remainder of the people were then ordered on to the raft, and by the time it was covered, the flames came aft so thick, that it was necessary to send it off from the stern. All now had left the ill-fated vessel, except the gaUant Captain Le Gros, Lieutenant Tailour, and the master. When they saw aU the rest clear away, and not tiU then, did they descend by the stem ladders into one of the yawls and pulled towards the shore, which they had scarcely reached when she blew up. Only five men perished. The value of this ship was esthnated at 100,000?., and ;^e loss to Lord Nelson must have been incalculable. Yet it IS said that he was much more distressed by the loss of the despatches, which were taken by the enemy about the same time, in the Swift cutter. In a letter to Lord St. Vincent, dated the 19th of April, Admiral Nelson .says, speaking of Captain Le Gros,—' If his account be correct (he was then upon his trial) he had great merit for the order in which the ship was kept. The fire must have originated from medicine chests breaking, or from wet getting down, which caused the thmgs to heat. The preservation of the crew seems little short of a miracle. I never read such a joumal of exertions in my whole life.'* Clark and M°Ax-tliur, yol. ii. p. 361. ■Pflpi 72 SHIPWRECKS OF THE BOTAL NAVY. I] The captain, officers, and ship's company were most honourably acquitted by the sentence of court-martial Brenton, in his N'aval History, remarks, * In support of the reasonable conjectures of the Admiral (Lord Nelson) as to the origin of the fire, we might adduce many instances of ships in the cotton trade having been on fire in the hold during a great part of their voyage from China, owing to the cargo having been wet when compressed mto the ship. Hemp has been known to ignite from the same cause; and the dockyard of Brest was set on fire by this means in 1757. New painted canvas or tarpaulin, laid by before it is completely dry, will take fire; and two Russian frigates were nearly burnt by the accidental combination of a small quantity of soot, of burnt fir wood, hemp, and oil, tied up with some matting/ Mr. Thomas Banks, acting-lieutenant of the Hindostan, was recommended to Lord Nelson for promotion, by the members of the court-martial, in consequence of his conduct on this occasion ; and he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant on the 28rd of June, 1804. This gallant officer died in 1811. Lieutenant George Tailour was appointed to the Tigre in 1808, and was promoted for his gallant conduct in cutting out a convoy of trans- ports which had taken refuge in this same Bay of Rosas, w-here, five years before, he had equally distinguished himself, under even more trying circumstances. • "" ■ ■■ ' ^ "' ^w i iife afefelp 73 THE ROMNEY. ' TN the month of November, 1804/ writes Brenton, fl,; v^"" TT^ ^'*^^' ' *^^ «^^^^i*y «f blockading the Ports of the Texel was practically experienced if cllr ?I il Romney of fifty guns, commanded by Captam the Hon. John Colville/ The Romney sailed from Yarmouth on the 18th of November, under orders to join Rear-Admiral Russel, off the Texel; but on the 19th she went aground on the south-west part of the sand-bank off the Haaks. Regular soundmgs had been made during the nm from Yax- mouth; and a few minutes before the ship struck, the pilots were confident they were on the edge of the Broad l^"""""-- ^7 *^f\r^d-d'«^d the pilots proposed ^dmg m under double-reefed topsails, and foretop- ma^t stey-sail, with the wind S.S.W., untH they should be m ten or eleven fathoms. To this Captin Col- ^Ue objected, as from the unsettled appearance of the wea her and the thickness of the fog, he deemed it would be imprudent to approach the shore. Thev were accordingly in the aK)t of wearing, when they perceived through the fog, a laxge ship Searing eJlj^X] They stood towards her to make her out more plainly and m four or five minutes they discovered that she wS a large merchant vessel on shore.* Upon this, the pilots were anxious to haul off on the Wboard kckfbut T^VnA '^^P ^^"1^.^« broughttothe wind, she struck. The mnd wa. increasing, the fog veiy great, and a heavy sea roUing m. In spite of every exertion, the wateJ s 74 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. i gained upon the vessel so fast^ that all hope of saving her was soon at an end; and had she been in deep water, she must have sunk immediately. The pilots supposed that the Romney would be dry at low water, the topmasts were therefore struck, and every preparation made to shore her up. The captain having done all in his power to save his ship, next turned his attention to the preservation of his officers and men, determined to use every possible means for their safety. Minute guns were fired, in the hope that they might attrcMjt the notice of some of our cruisers, and procure assistance. At this time it blew a gale from the south-west, and the sea ran so high, as to endanger the boats which were lowered in order to lighten the ship. The two cutters were sent to a galliot and a schuyt, that were in sight near the land, to ask for help, but they failed in obtaining it; and one of them in returning to the Romney was upset in the breakers, and a master's mate with her crew perished. Lieutenant Baker, who commanded the other cutter, finding it impossible to reach the ship again, bore up to the Texel, in hopes of being mere successful in obtaming assistance there than he had been with the schuyt. On board the ship, in the meantime, the minute guns were fired, and officers and men looked anxiously for a responsive signal that would tell them of approaching succour—but they waited in vain; no help was at hand. The people were therefore set to work to make rafts, and three were soon finished. Between two and three o'clock in the afternoon the ship struck again, with such violence, that the rudder broke away, and she seemed likely to go to pieces immediately. The captain seized the first moment of the weather-tide slacking to order the masts to be cut away, which was promptly done, THE ROMNEY. w )ur cruisers. and fortunately without causing any injury in their fall. Alter this, the ship became more eaay, although the sea still made a clean breach over her. Captain Colville saw that the slightest alteration in her position would be attended with imminent danger, and he therefore ordered the bower anchors to be let go-her head then swung to tHe wmd, and this enabled her to settle gradually on the sand, where she lay comparatively easy Darkness was fa«t gathenng around, and the hearts of the crew were becommg dreary and hopeless. Nor sail nor shore appeared in sight, Nought but the heavy sea and coming night. When the tide flowed, no part of the ship below the quarter-deck was avlnd and the waves subsided, the clouds graduaUy dispersed, and the Z^t^' ^^''"''''' ^""^ invigorating Hght and e2 76 I 9 i SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. AU eyes were turned to the offing, but still no assist- aJttce appeared. Captain Colville then resolved to hoist the white flag on the stump of the mizen mast, in hopes that It might be seen from the shore, and that he might preserve the lives of his crew by surrendering to the enemy. ° This step was necessary, as it was the only means of rescue that remained to them. The barge had been swamped alongside, soon after the masts were cut away and three of the crew had been drowned. The launch* also, which was lying to leeward, had parted from her grapnel, and had been obliged to bear up for the Texel At 11 o'clock A.M., Captain ColviUe asked the car- penter if he thought they could remain another night upon the wreck: the carpenter assured him that he con- sidered It almost impossible to do so, and that the attempt would be attended with the greatest risk to all on board. The ship had abeady parted amid-ships, the mam beam and several others being broken. Five rafts had been carefuUy constructed, ea«h fitted with a mast and sail ; and at the earnest entreaty of the crew. Captain ColviUe, on hearing the caipenter's report ^wed a part of the men to leave the wreck on these About noon, as the fifth and last raft was about to leave the ship, seven boats (one bearing a flag of truce) were seen coming towards them from the shore The captain ordered the people to throw the quarter-deck guns and aJ^^the arms and warlike stores overboard, which they did. ' When the boats arrived alongside, an officer hailed the wreck, and said that if Captain Colville was wiUing to secm-e the preservation of his officers and crew bv surrendenng as prisoners of war, the whole company should be conducted in safety to the Helder. Captain THE ROMNEY. 77 Colville felt himself obliged to submit to the imperious dictetes of necessity, and he accordingly accepted the proflFered conditions, and surrendered himself to the Dutch, with all the ship's company that remamed on the wreck. Before nightfall they were aU landed. Only those who have been placed in similar circumstances can judge of the feelings of men so rescued from the awful contem- plation of immediate and certain death. How happy now did they feel in occupying a position, which two days before they would have shrunk from with horror and have shed their life's blood to avoid. But ' there is no virtue like necessity.' All places that the eye of Heaven visits, Are to a wise man ports and happy havens. RiCHAED II. And the Romney's company were wise enough to rejoice under the circumstances of their hard case, in finding themselves safely landed in an enemy's country ^ prisoners of war. Nine seamen had been drowned ; thirteen others, who had left the wreck upon a raft of timber, were afterwards picked up and taken on board the Eagle; the others who had been saved by the boats and rafts joined Cap- tarn Colville at the Helder. The following extracts from Captein ColviUe's dispatches show the high estunation in which he held the services of his officers and crew •— 'That every possible exertion was made to lessen the calamity, after having struck, I trust wiU appear from the minutes. . . . ' Under the uneasiness of mind which the loss of the ship I had the honour to command, naturally occasioned, T feel some aUeviation in reflecting upon the zealous, active, and orderly conduct of my officers and crew m circuiv)>^,ances the most trying, and under which they endured the severest hardships with cheerfulness ■mm.' 78 SHIPWRECKS OP THE BOYAL NAVY. and in perfect reliance on Divine Providence, whose interposition in our behalf was strongly evident' Nothing could exceed the kindness and consideration shown by the Dutch admiral towards the crew of the Romney. Captain Colville, in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty, does ample justice to a gienerous foe : — * We have experienced,' he says, 'from the Dutch Admiral Kirkhurt, every attention that our distressed situation made so necessary, and which his disposition seems incapable of withholding, even from an enemy But the wants of my fellow-sufferers are great, for not an article of clothing or anything else was saved by any one from the general wreck. I hope the Dutch govern- ment will be disposed to aUeviate, in some degree, their wante,~m clothing, particularly. And I have soUcited the a^stance of Rear-Admiral Russel in obtaining these necessariea' * I have reason to beHeve we shall be sent to Amsterdam, until exchanged.' Subsequently, the Dutch admiral, with noble generosity sent Captain Colville, with eight of his officers, to Rear- Admiral Russel. It is always delightful to record such toaits of magnanimity and kindness, and we feel that Bntish sailors can well afford to do honour to those virtues in others, for which they have ever been so dis- tinguished themselvea _ Admiral Russel handsomely acknowledged his obHga- tion to the Dutch government in the foUowing letter to Admiral Kirkhurt: — «Qt,> tu .!-• ^- ^- ^- Ship Eagle, Dec. 2, 1804. J5IR— -1 Have this moment received your flag of truce conveying to me the Honoumble Captain Colville, late of his Majesty 8 ship, the Romney, (wrecked upon your coa^t,) with eight of his officers, whom you have first humanely saved from impending destruction, and whom 1 1 I Um •■»•# THE ROMNET. 79 your government, with its ancient magnanimity, has released and restored to their country and their friends, on their parole d'hormmr. They are all, Sir, most sensibly aflfected with heartfelt gratitude to the Batavian government for their emancipation from captivity; to Admiral Kirkhurt for their preservation from the jaws of death, and to all the Dutch officers and inhabitants of the Texel, for their kindness and most humane attention. * This, Sir, is nobly alleviating the rigours of war, as the Christian heroes of your country and mine were wont to do in these seas, before a considerable portion of European intellect was corrupted by false philosophy. Captain Colville will communicate to the Right Honour- able the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, your proposal for an exchange of prisoners. Accept my sincere thanks, and the assurance that I am, &c. &c. ' (Signed) T. M. Russel.' On the 31st of December, Captain Colville, the officers and ship's company of H.M. (late) ship Romney were tried by a court-martial on board the Africaine at Sheer- ness, for the loss of their ship off the Tezel, on the 19th of November. It appeared to the court, that the loss of the ship had been occasioned by the thickness of the fog and the ignorance of the pilots; that the utmost exertions had been used by the captam, officers, and crew, to save the vessel after she struck, and to prevent the ship's company becoming prisoners of war. The sentence of the court was to this effect : that the captain, officers, and crew were fully acquitted of all blame, but that the pilots should forfeit all their pay, and be rendered henceforth incapable of taking charge of any of his Majesty's ships or vessels of war, and that they should be imprisoned in 80 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. the Marshalsear-one for the space of twelve, and the other, of six montha In 1805, Captain Colville was appointed to the Sea Fencibles, at Margate. In 1807, he obtained the com- mand of L'HercuIe, a 74-gun ship, on the coast of ^ortugal, and subsequently commanded the Queen on the North Sea Station. He succeeded to his title (Lord Colville) on the death of his father m 1811, and was advanced to the rank of rear-admiral in 1819. On the 10th of November, 1821 he hoisted his flag on board the Semiramis, aa com^ mander-in-chief on the Irish station. Lord Colville died an Admiral of the White, in 1849. We axe aware that the foregoing narrative may appear deficient m novel and striking incidents, but we have mtroduced it for the sake of exhibiting some of the best and noblest attributes of the true-hearted saUor— couragt. patience, and perfect obedience under the most tiring curcumstances, and generous kindness towards an unfor- tunate enemy. It k well to think of these things, and the more we read of the details of naval life— its suffer- mgs, dangers, and trials, the more fully shall we be per- Buaded that true cow ;e is ever generous and unselfish m the words of the q dnt old song- Says the captain, says he, (I shall never forget it.) 'If of courage you'd know. lads, the true from the sham. Tis a fimous lion in battle, so let it. But, duty appeased, 'tis in mercy a lamb.' ^at my friend. Ja^ or Tom, I should r-scn,. fro , danger Or lay down my life for each lad in thf c . ^ Is nothing at aU,-'ti8 the poor wounded stranger. And the poorer the more I shaU succour distress- In me let the foe feel the paw of the lion. But, the battle once ended, the heart of a lamb I 81 VENERABLE. r\N Saturday, the 24th of November, 1804, the fleet y under the command of Admiral the Hon. w' (.omwalhs, lay at anchor in Torbay. As it waa late in tbe year, and the night dark and stormy, orders were given for the fleet to put to sea. Unfortunately, in fishing the anchor of the Venerable 7 -gun ship, the fish-hook gave way, and a man was pre- cipitated into the sea The alarm was immediately gven^and one of the cutters was ordered to be lowered JNuirfbers of the crew rushed aft to carry the orders into eitect, but m the confusion, one of the falls was suddenly let go, the boat fell by the run, filled, and a midshipman and two of the crew were drowned. In a few mmutes another boat was lowered, which fortunately succeeded in pickmg up the man who first fell overboard. Owing to this delay, the Venerable fell off consider- ably towards Brixham, and getting stemway, was unable to weather the Berry Head. Eveiy effort was made to stay her, but the ship refused; and, not having room to wear, she drove on shore, at the north part of the bay on a spot called Roundem Head, near Paington. Orders were given to cut away the masts, in the hopes ot then: fallmg between the ship and the shore. This was found impracticable, as the ship, from her position on the declivity of the rock on which she struck, heeled to such an extent, as to render the falling of the masts in the desured direction quite impossible. Her commander. Captain John Hunter, however, with undaunted fortitude, continued to animate the crew with hope, and encouraged them to acts of further perse- verance, with the same calmness and self-possession as if Ed 82 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. 9 he were simply conducting the ordinaiy duties of his ship. From the moment the ship struck, not the least alteration took place in his looks, wrprds, or manner; and everything that the most able*and experienced seaman could suggest was done, but in vain. On signals of distress being made, H.M. cutter Frisk, Lieutenant Nicholson, immediately stood towards her, and hailing to know in what manner she could be useful, was requested to anchor as near as possible to receive the crew, with which her commander immediately complied, assisted by the boats of the Goliath and Impetueux. All hope of saving the Venerable being now aban- doned, the only object that remained was to preserve the lives of the crew, who were told to provide for their own safety on board the boats which had been sent to their assistance, the captain and officers declaring their in- tention of remaining on board till all the men had quitted the wreck. At this time the sea ran tremendously high, and the men lowered themselves into the boats from the stem, this being the only accessible part of the ship. Most anxious was the situation of the officers and men who were left, during the absence of the boats. Many gave up all hopes of rescue, for every time the boats approached the ship, the attempt became more and more dangerous. The night still continued dark and foggy, with driving sleet and violent gusts of wind, which seemed to freshen eveiy hour. In this forlorn and dismal state, the officers continued on the outside of the ship (for she was nearly on her beam ends), encouraging the men, and affording every assist- ance for their escape on board the boats. The Venerable was now a complete wreck, beatmg agamst the rocks, and was expected to go to pieces at ""-< VENERABLE. #s every surge; yet all this time wa* she so near the shore that those on board were able to converse with the • people, whom the report of the guns had brought in great numbers to the rocks. With much difficulty, they at last contrived to fling a line on shore, which, being secured there, some of the crew attempted to land themselves by it. The surf, however, broke with such violence between them and the shore, although they were scarcely twenty yards distant, that the poor fellows who made the attempt were either drowned or dashed to pieces. It was now past five o'clock on Sunday morning, the weather still growing worse. The crew, with the excep- tion of seventeen, had succeeded in quitting the ship, and these nobly declared that they would remain to share the fate of their officers. The situation of the whole was indeed appalling, and sufficient to quail the boldest heart; the sea breaking over them, the fore part of the ship under water, and the rest expected momen- tarily to go to pieces. Under these circumstances, the officers, feeling that they could be of no further use on board, deemed it their duty to represent to the captain the necessity of endeavouring to save their lives, they having one and all resolved on sharing his fate. This point being arranged, the hopes of life began to revive; but a further difficulty presented itself, which seemed to render their safety more problematical than ever. This was, who was to lead the way. The pause had well nigh been fatal to them alL At length a jumor Ueutenant, long known on board, and celebrated for his courage, agreed to lead the way, the rest solemnly promismg to follow. One after another they descended from the stem by a single rope, wet, cold, and be- numbed; and in this condition they gained the boats, 84 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. which were in perilous attendance below. About six o'clock they reached the Impetueux, where they were treated with every attention and kindness which their unfortunate position so loudly called for. They quitted the ship in a most critical time, for in a little more than an hour after they had left her, she parted amidships— that part on which they had been standing for the lafit five or six nours capsized and was buried in the surf In sixteen hours from thu time she first struck, the whole yessel had disappeared, under the action of a raging surf, lashed into fury by the violence of the gale. The conduct of the people on shore was most inhuman; not the sHghtest assistance was offered ; not a single boat firom Brixham or Torquay having put out to their assistance during the whole of this dreadful night To add to this disgraceful conduct, the cowardly wretches were observed, when daylight broke, plundering eveiy- thmg of value as it floated ashore. The foUowing is the tribute of praise which Captain Hunter so justly pays to Captain Martin and the officers and crew of the Impetueux: *To Captain Martin, of the Impetueux, whose feehngs as a man, as well as his zeal as an officer, were on this distressmg occasion so conspicuous.— It is the desire of the officers and crew of the Venerable in this place to express the high sense they have of the obligations they are under to his personal exertions, as well as those of the officers and boats' crews whom he employed in this difficult and dangerous service,— for it is to their ex- ertions they owe the life they now enjoy.' Captain Hunter also speaks of the conduct of his own ship s company in the highest terms. Their steadiness throughout was most remarkable, and to this, in a great measure, may be attributed the preservation of their own lives. I "»« VENEBABLE. 85 One soHtary instance of neglect of duty occurred; and when we consider the circumstances in which the men were placed, and the temptations which never fail to present themselves on such occasions, the highest praise 18 not only due to the crew, but also to the captain and officers, who, by their previous conduct, had gained the respect and confidence of those under them. It is in such moments of severe trial that the character of a ship's company is put to the test; and the good behaviour of the men who remained with their officers proves that, in order to maintain a proper degree of discipline, no undue severity need be practised. To a comparatively recent period, the captain of a man-of-war had the power of inflicting corporal punish- ment to an unlimited extent. This practice has of late year« much diminished; owing, in a great measure, to the increased good feeling of naval officers, as also to the Admiralty discountenancing such strong measures, unless m most urgent cases. A captam of a man-of-war has notwithstanding, and very properly so, an almost absolute power, and corporal punishment rests with him alone- but the humane officer, like Captain Hunter, punishes one man, to save many others, and shares with the dehnquent the pain which, for the sake of example, he is obliged to inflict. The discipline of a ship of course depends almost entirely upon the conduct of the captain • to hun the officers look for guidance and example; and whilst they see that the men do their duty properly they also learn from him to treat them with due con- sideration, having their happiness and comfort in view As m the case of the Venerable, when the hour of danger arrives, each cheerfully performs the duties allotted to him, relying with confidence on those who from their clemency, combined with firmness, they have' been accustomed to look up to with respect. 86 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. An additional interest belongs to the fate of this vessel, when we bear in mind that her crew, whilst serving under Lord Duncan, in 1797, remained untainted durmg the celebrated mutiny at the Nore.* She also bore a conspicuous part in Lord Duncan's axrtion with the Dutch fleet, in October of the same year, enga^ng the Vryheid, the flag-ship of the Dutch admiral. The account of this great battle, however, is too well recorded m the page of history to need repetition. It 18 sufficient to add, that the Viyheid, after a noble resistance, was ultimately obUged to strike, under the destructive fire of the Venerable, Triumph, Ardent, and Director. ' THE SHEERNESS. QN the afternoon of the 7th of Januaiy, 1805, His v./ Majesty s ship Sheemess, of 44 guns, was lying at anchor m the Colombo Roads, Ceylon. It was one of those days of extreme stillness which often precede the fnghtful hurricanes that sweep the eastern sea^. Not a breath of air stirred, not a cloud was to be seen; the ship lay motionless on the calm and glassy water. The ensign drooped in heavy folds from the stem, and many of the crew lay stretched on the decks m hstless apathy, little anticipating the terrible convulsion of the elements which was so soon to arouse them m fear. The monotony on board was broken for a moment by the voice of the captain. Lord George Stuart Captain Hunter died in 1807. i rtVr THE SHEERNESS. «7 who ordered his gig to be maimed that he might go on shore with his first lieutenant, Mr. Swan, and some other officers, whom he had invited to dme with him under a tent. The bustle of their departure from the ship was soon over, and again all was still. The captain and officers had scarcely landed and seated themselves at table when a roaring sound was heard, at first distant but becoming louder and louder every moment, and before they could conjecture the cause, the canvas of the tent was almost torn from its fastenings b^ the sudden violence of the wind. " Every one thought first of the Sbeemess, and rushing Irom the tent a scene presented itself to their gaze little calculated to diminish their alarm for the ship The sea, which a few minutes before had been smooth as a polished mirror, now displayed a picture of terrific grandeur; the waves, crested with foam, roUed and tossed over one another in wild confusion, whilst the roaimg of the winds, and the torrents of rain, added to the awful subhmity of the scene. Lord George, though aware of the imminent danger to which he exposed him- self determined at all risks to get on board his ship Without a moment's delay he collected the crew of the gig, a,nd pushed from the shore towards the vessel— himself steering the boat, while Lieutenant Swan pulled the bow oar. The wind had now increased to s^ch a hurricane as is only known in tropical climates, and the waves threatened every instant to engulf the frail bark. As they advanced, the danger became more and more urgent; the sea broke over them continually; nevertheless, they persevered, and strained every nerve to effect their object. The stunning roar of the hurricane prevented any eommmiication except by signs, and several times the wmd caught the oai^ with such force that the men nould 1 88 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. scarcely retain their seats. In vain were all their efforts: — The winds arise, The thunder rolls, the forky hghtning flies; In vain the master issues out commands, In vain the trembling sailors ply their hands, The tempest, unforeseen, prevents their care, And from the first they labour in despair. Dbyden. The boat filled with water three times, and became so nearly unmanageable, that they saw it would be im- possible to gain the ship, and they bore up to the west part of York Island, from whence they waded to the shore, but so exhausted from the fatigue they had under- gone, that they could never have reached the land, had they not been assisted by some workmen who were on the spot. When they arrived, they found Mr. Warner, a mid- shipman, had just landed from the Sheemess, with a message to the effect that the ship had parted an anchor, but that she was riding in safety with two others. Mr! Warner had been sent in the launch, but in nearing the shore, she had been upset, and two of her crew were drowned; there was little hope, therefore, of any boat weathering the storm in an attempt to reach the ship. Lord George, however, would not give up the attempt, and he expressed so much anxiety to join his vessel, that it was proposed to go to the weathermost part of the bay. Thither they accordingly struggled on foot, with the utmost difficulty making head against the wind, and suffering acutely from the sand driving into their eyes. In addition to their personal sufferings, the spectacle around was one of such desolation and horror as no man can witness without pain. The shore, as far as the eye could reach, was covered with wrecks, and with the bodies of the dying and the dead, while the roaring of r^r^rr THE SHEERNESS. 89 the surf, and the howling of the tempest, mingled with thfe piercmg cries of those on board the stranded vessels who were yet struggling with their fate, added to the awfulness of the scene. At half-past six in the evening, exhausted with fatigue and suffenng, they arrived at the head of the bay; but here they were again doomed to disappointment, for they found no one to assist them in launching the boat although the crew of the launch had been directed to jom them for that purpose. The ship was stUl in sight, but they found it would be impossible to reach her, and they therefore proceeded to the neighbouring town of Ostenberg, where they directed a soldier whom they met, to hasten to his commanding officer, and request that a party of soldiers with torches should be ordered out ready to save the crew of the Sheemess, in case of her driving on shore. Lord George and his companions then went to the master attendant's house, where they passed the night; but although they were worn out in mind and body' sleep never closed their eyes that nigh1>-they passed it m bstenmg to the reports of the signal guns from the bheemess, and in watching the rockets which from time to tune illuminated the darkness, teUing of distress and danger which they could not alleviate. When morning broke, they assembled aU the workmen they could muster, and manning a cutter with the crew of the launch, they went oflPto the Sheemess, which had been driven on shore to the west of York Island. There a most distressing sight presented itself; two vessels had been driven on shore, one of which was totally lost The Sheerness had parted her cables during the night, and for a time her situation was ei ^eedingly perilous, it was impossible to stand upon deck tiU the mam and mizen masts had been cut away. The water 90 SHIPWRECKS OF THE HOYAL NAVY. " i r rose above the orlop deck till it became level with the surface of the sea. Not a barrack-house or tree escaped the ravages of the storm; many were levelled with the ground, others ex- tensively damaged, and the hospital was completely unroofed, which rendered the situation of the sick most deplorable. One of the patients was killed by the falling beama Several Europeans fell a sacrifice to the storm, many of them being exposed to the torrents of rain without any place of shelter within reach. Lord George Stuart, the officers and crew of the Sheer- ness were acquitted of all blame respecting the loss of that vessel, it bemg the opinion of the court, that * Every exertion was made for the preservation of the ship by the captain, officers, and crew upon that trying occasion ; and that, owing to the violence of the hurricane, the loss of the ship was inevitable; and every subsequent attempt to get her afloat proved ineflfectual, in conse- quence of the damage she had sustained in grounding when driven on shore, from the impossibility of keeping her free by means of the pumps.' Lord George Stuart entered the navy in the year 1793 as a midshipman on board the Providence, in which ship he had the misfortune to be wrecked in the year 1797. He received his post rank in 1804, and was almost constantly employed from that time until 1809, when he assumed the command of a light squadron at the mouth of the Elbe. Here he performed an important service in taking the town of Gessendorf, situated on the banks of the Weser, and in driving from the fortress a body of French troops' who had made frequent predatory and piratical excur- sions in the neighbourhood of Cuxhaven. A few days after the defeat of the French, the gallant Duke of Brunswick also arrived on the opposite banks of ^^'Wf- THE SHEEBNESS. 91 the Weser, after having almost succeeded in effecting his retreat through the heart of Germany. By the previous dispersion of the enemy and the destruction of the fortress, he succeeded in crossing the river and escaping his pursuers, who would otherwise, in all probability have captured or destroyed the whole of his detachment! His Lordship was next appointed to the Horatio, a 38-gun frigate. Whilst cruizing on the morning of tlie 7th December, 1813, off the Island of Zealand, he received a letter from a gentleman who had been in the British service, requesting his aid to drive the French from Zienck-Zee, the capital of Schowen. He at once complied with this request, and directed a detachment of seamen and marines to storm the batteries as soon as the tide would answer for the boats to leave the ship, which could not be done until nine p.m. In the meantime, a deputation arrived on board from the principal citizens bearmg a flag of truce from the French general and requestmg, that in order to save the effusion of blood, and to prevent the disorders which would in all proba- bility anse, aa the city was then in a state of insurrection, terms of capitulation should be granted, by which the French should be allowed to withdraw with their baggage to Bergen-op-Zoom. To this, Lord George Stuart gave a peremptory refusal, and summoned the French to surrender unconditionally After a short delay, the signal of surrender was made, and thus, by the prompti- tude and decision displayed by the British officer, the French were compeUed to evacuate the Island of Schowen without bloodshed, and the ancient magistrates of Zierick- Zee resumed their former functions. Lord George Stuart subsequently commanded the Newcastle, and was employed in the last American war In 1815, he received the Order of the Companion of the Bath, and died as rear-admiral in 1841. 92 I ! ATHENIENNE. T^HE Athenienne, of 64 guns, commanded by Captain J- Robert Raynsford, with a crew of 490 men, saDed from Gibraltar on the 16th of October, 1806, and at noon on the 20th, the Island of Sardinia was seen in the dis- taiice. The ship continued under a press of sail with a fair wind, and sped on her course towards Malta. At eight o'clock of the evening of the 20th, the first watch had been stationed, and the officer on duty had reported the ship's progress at nme knots an hour. The labours of the day were over, and all, save the few whom duty or inclination kept on deck, had gone below. Another hour passed away; the majority of the crew had retired to their berths to seek repose after the toils of the day, and to gain fresh strength for the morrow—that morrow which many of them were destined never to behold. The captain was seated in his cabin, looking over the chart with one of his officers, when he exclauned, ^ If the Esquerques do exist, we are now on them.' Scarcely were the words out of his mouth when the ship struck. For the information of our readers, we must state that the Esquerques, or Shirki, are a reef of sunken rocks lying about eighty miles west from Sicily, and about forty-eight from Cape Bon, on the coast of Africa. In 1806, the charts were not as accurate as they are in the present day, and the reef was not laid down in all of them; the very existence^ indeed, of these rocks was positively denied by some navigators, though it was as positively asserted by others. ATHENIENNE. 93 It would be vain to attempt to describe the scene that followed the first shock, on the vessel's striking the rock Upon the captain's hastening on deck, he found the crew rushing up from their berths, many of them in a stete of nudity, and so stupified aa to be utterly incapable of making the least eflfort for their own preservation. Some went below, and for the moment resigned them- selves to despair, while others rushed to the poop for saiety. In a few minutes, the officers had gathered round their captam. It needed no words to point out to them the imminence of their danger, and the necessity of their settmg an example of steadiness and intrepidity to the men. They suffered no signs of dismay to appear in their demeanour, but immediately proceeded to consider what were the best steps to be taken to meet the impend- ing danger. The calmness and courage thus displayed by the captain and his officers could not fail of having the desD-ed effect upon the ship's company, who recovered from their panic, and seeing the necessity for instant exertion, held themselves in readiness to execute each order as it was issued. In order to prevent the ship falling on her broadside, the ma^s were cut away; but she continued to beat so violently upon the rocks, that in less than half-an-hour she fiUed with water up to the lower deck ports, and then fell over to larboard on her beam ends. Captain Raynsford, foreseeing the inevitable loss of his vessel had ordered the boats to be hoisted out, with the idea that they would be useful in towing a raft, which he had caused to be constructed to leeward. This raft would probably have been the means of preserving a great many lives, had not the men in charge of the two folly- boats pushed off, and left their unhappy comrades to Ill 94 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. their fate. Unfortunately, both the cutter and the barge, in hoisting out, were stove, and immediately swamped, no less than thirty men perishing with them. Several of the crew had been killed by the falling of the masts, and others were severely injured. Two midshipmen were crushed to death between the spanker boom und the bulwarka Brenton has thus described the horrible scene on board : — * Nothing was to be heard but the shrieks of the drowning and the wailings of despair. The man who would courageously meet death at the cannon's mouth, or at the point of the bayonet, is frequently unnerved in such a scene as this, where there is no other enemy to contend with than the inexorable waves, and no hope of safety or relief but what may be afforded by a floating plank or mast. The tremendous shocks as the ship rose with the sea, and fell again on the rocks, deprived the people of the power of exertion ; while at every crash portions of the shattered hull, loosened and disjointed, were scattered in dreadful havoc among the breakers. Imagination can scarcely picture to itself anything more appalling than the frantic screams of the women and children, the darkness of the night, the irresistible fury of the waves, which, at every moment, snatched away a victim, while the tolling of the bell, occasioned by the violent motion of the wreck, added a funereal solemnity to the horrors of the scene.' The fate of the hapless crew seemed fast approaching to a termination. When the vessel first struck, signal guns had been fired, in the hope that some aid might be within reach, but none appeared; the guns were soon rendered useless, and when the ship fell on her beam ends, the wreck, with the exception of the poop, was entirely under water. Here were collected all that ATHENIENNE. 95 remained of the ship's company, whose haggard counte- nances and shivering forms were revealed to each other, from time to time, by the glare of the blue lights, and by the fitful moonbeams which streamed from beneath the dark clouds, and threw their pale light upon the despairing group. Tho sca-breached vessol can no longer bear The floods that o'er hor burst in dread career; The labouring hull already seems half filled With water, through an hundred leaks distilled; Thus drenched by every wave, her even deck, Stripped and defenceless, floats a naked wreck. FALCONEn. Two boats only remained, one of which was useless, her side havmg been knocked in by the falling of the meats; and the other, the launch, waa therefore the sole means of preservation left. She was already fiUed with men, but It was found impossible to remove her from her position on the booms ; and even if she had floated, she could not have contained above one-fourth of the crew- For about half an hour she continued in the same position, (the men who were in her expecting eveiy moment that her bottom would be knocked out by the waves dashing against the spars on which she rested ) when suddenly a heavy sea lifted her ofif the bows clear of the ship. Three loud cheers greeted her relea^, and the oars bemg ready, the men immediately pulled from the WTeck, with difficulty escaping the many dangers they had to encounter from the floating spars and broken masts. These gallant fellows, however, would not desert their companions in misfortune, and although their boat ab-eady contamed more than a hundred, they pulled towards the stem of the frigate ; but so great was the d6 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. h/ anxiety of the poor creatures upon the poop to jump into the boat, that in self-defence they were obliged to keep at a certain distance from the wreck, or the launch would have been instantly swamped. They were there- fore reduced to the terrible alternative, either of leaving their comrades to perish, or of throwing away their own lives. Nine of the men who had jumped overboard were picked up, but to have attempted to save any more would have been to sacrifice all. One of the officers left on board the wreck endeavoured by every argument to persuade Captain Kaynsford to save himself by swimming to the launch, but all in vain. This intrepid man declared that he was perfectly resigned to his fate, and was deter- mined not to quit his ship whilst a man remained on board. Finding that all entreaties were useless, the officer himself jumped overboard from the stem gallery into the sea, and swimming through the surf, gained the launch and was taken on board. The general cry in the boat was, 'Pull off!' and at twelve o'clock, as the moon sunk below the horizon, her crew took their last look of the Athenienne. The stitua- tion of the launch was of itself imminently perilous: she had neither sail, bread, nor water on board. Fortunately there was a compass, and for a sail the officers made use of their shirts and the frocks of the seamen. On the following morning they fell in with a Danish brig, which relieved, in some degree, their urgent necessities. Lieutenant John Little, a passenger in the Athenienne, with a party of seamen, went on board the brig, for the purpose of prevailing on her master to return with them to the wreck, in hopes of rescuing any of the crew who might be still alive; but this generous purpose was frustrated by violent and adverse winds. On the 21st, at four o'clock in the afternoon, the party reached Maritime, having been sixteen hours in the open ATHENIENNE. 97 boat, and the next day they proceeded to Trepani in Sicily. On the 24th, they arrived at Palermo ; the news of the sad event had akeady been conveyed thither to bu- Sidney Smith, by a letter which had been written from Maritime. The Eagle, of 74 guns, was instantly ordered to the Esquerques, but returned with the iotelli- gence, that all who were left upon the wreck had perished, with the exception of two men, who had been picked up on a raft by some fishermen. They related that the poop had separated about eleven o'clock on the morning after the launch left them, and that they, toge- ther with ten others, clung to it, but all had either been washed offer died except themselves. There were also two other rafts, on one of which were three warrant officers, and on the other Captain Raynsford and Lieute- nants Swinburne and Salter ; but it was found impossible to disengage the rafts from the rigging to which they were attached, and the unfortunate men all perished. The existence of the Esquerques, as we have already stated, had been doubted, but from Captain Raynsford's exclamation, previous to the ship striking, we may infer that he himself was not sceptical on the subject. Three hundred and fifty of the crew perished, while one hundred and forty-one men, with two women, were all who were saved. irpoje was !• 98 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. THE NAUTILUS. ONLY a few weeks after the loss of the Athenienne, and of so many of her crew, a shipwreck occurred in another part of the Mediterranean, attended by cir- cumstances of most painful interest. His Majesty's sloop. Nautilus, commanded by Captain E. Palmer, left the squadron of Sir Thomas Louis in the Hellespont, on the morning of the 3rd of January, 1807, bearing dispatches of the utmost importance for England. The wind blowing fresh from the north-east, the sloop continued her course through the Archipelago without danger or mischance, until the evening of the 4th, when she was off Anti Milo ; the pilot then gave up his charge, professing himself ignorant of the coast they were now approaching. As the dispatches confided to Captain Palmer were of great moment, he determined to run every hazard rather than retard their delivery. He therefore sailed from Anti Milo at sunset, and shaped his course to Cerigotto. At midnight, the wind had risen to a gale ; the night was dark and gloomy; torrents of rain were falling, accompanied by loud and incessant peals of thunder, whilst vivid flashes of lightning ever and anon illuminated for an instant the murky sky, and left all in obscurity more dismal than before. At two o'clock A.M., the tempest and the darkness having increased, the Tiaptain gave orders to close-reef topsails, and prepare for bringing-to until day-break. A little after three o'clock, a bright flash of lightning dis- covered to them the Island of Cerigotto riorht aheadj and THE NAUTILUS. 99 ht ahead, and about a mile distant. The captain considered his course to be now clear, and therefore directed aU possible sail to be kept on the vessel without endangering the masts at the same time he congratulated Lieutenant Nesbitt upon their escape from the threatened dangers of the Archipelago. He then went below, and was engaged with the pilot in examining the chart, when a cry was heard of ' Breakers a-head !' Lieutenant Nesbitt, who was on deck, ordered the hebn a-lee ; it was scarcely done, when the vessel struck. The shock was so violent, that the men below were thrown out of their hammocks, and they had diffi- culty m getting upon deck, for every sea lifted up the ship and then again dashed her upon the rocks with such force that they could not keep their feet. AU was confusion and alarm. Every one felt his own utter helplessness. 'Oh ! my Lord,' writes Lieutenant Nesbitt to Lord Oolhngwood, ' It draws tears from my eyes when I reflect on the complicated miseries of the scene ! Heaven now our only resource, was piteously invoked; and happy am I to say, our gaUant crew left nothing untried which we imagined could save us— all cheerfully obeying the orders of the officers. An instant had hardly elapsed ere our main-deck was burst in, and a few minutes after the lee bulwark was entirely overwhelmed. A heavy sea broke entirely over us, and none could see the smallest aperture through which hope might enter, and enliven the chill and dreary prospect before us.' The sole chance of escape for the crew was by the boats, and one only, a small whale-boat, got cleai- of the ship m safety, the others were all either stove or washed oil the booms and dashed to pieces on the rocks by the raging surf. The boat that escaped was manned by the f2 100 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. I coxswain, George Smith, and nine others. When they got clear of the wreck, they lay on their oars, and those who had clothing shared it with others who were nearly naked. They then pulled towards the Island of Pauri, seeing that it was impossible for them to render any assistance to their wretched comrades, as the boat already carried as many as she could possibly stow. After the departure of the whale-boat, the ship con- tinued to strike every two or three minutes, but as she ■was thrown higher on the rock, the men perceived that a part of it was above water; and as they expected the vessel to go to pieces at every shock, that lonely rock offered a safer refuge from the waves than the frail timbers to which they were clinging. The mercy of Providence sor-i provided them with the means of exchanging their perilous situation for one of less certain and instant danger. The mainmast fell over the side about twenty minutes after the vessel struck, and the mizen and fore- masts followed. These all served as gangways by which the people passed through the surf from the wreck to the platform of the coral reef, and thus for the time were rescued from the certain death that awaited them if they remained on board. The rock, which they reached with difficulty, was scarcely above water ; it was between three and four hundred yards long, and two hundred wide ; and upon this spot, in the midst of the deep, nearly a hundred men were thrown together, without food, almost without clothing, and with very little hope that they should ever escape from the perils that surrounded them. They had only left the wreck in time to hear her dashed to pieces against the rocks; her timbers quivering, rending, and groaning, as they were riven asunder by the remorseless waves. ' "*iMi THE nautilus; 101 When day dawned upon the cheerless group, Its light only revealed new horrors: the sea on all sides was strewed with fragments of the wreck ; not a sail was visible on the waters, and many of their comrades were seen clinging to spars and planks, tossed hither and thi her by the waves. The situation of the survivors was truly distressmg; they were at least twelve miles from the nearest island, and their only chance of relief was m the possibility of a ship passing near enough to see rocks '^ ^^^"^ '^ ^ ^"^^ P"^^ ^^'^ *^ the The day wa^ bitterly cold, and with much difficulty the unfortunate men contrived to kindle a fire, by means of a knife and flint that were happily in the pocket of one of the sailors, and a small barrel of damp powder that ha^ been washed on to the rock. They next constructed a tent with pieces of canvas, boards, and parts of the wreck and so they were enabled to dry the few clothes they had upon them. And now they had to pa^s a long and dreary night exposed to hunger, cold, and wet; but visible in the darkness, and be taken for a signal of dis- tress. And so it proved ; for the coxswain fnd crew of the whale boat, who were on the island of Pauri, observed the fire m the middle of the night, and the next morning the coxswain and pilot, with four of the men, pulled to still hvfn' '"^ ' '"'"'" ""^ ^^^'' '^"^^^^^ "^'^^^ ^ I'hey were beyond measure astonished to find so ZS ~^\fr««^ the ™ek, when they had scarcely dared o hope that any could have been saved except or T 7. 7^T ^'i^' ^''^ '' ^^*- "^ their boa^; tor they had found nothing on the Island of Pauri (which was only a mile in circumference) but a few sheep and goats, kept there by the inhabitants of Cerigo, and a T !! Hi u \Vi 102 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. little rain-water that was preserved in a hole of the rock. The coxswain attempted to persuade Captain Palmer to come into the boat, but the intrepid officer refused. * Never mind me/ was his noble reply ; * save your unfor- tunate shipmates.' After some consultation, the Captain ordered the cox- swain to take ten of the people from the rock and make the best of his way to Cerigotto, and return as soon as possible with assistance. Soon after the departure of the boat, the wind increased to a gale, the waves dashed over the rock and extin- guished the fire, and some of the men were compelled to cling to the highest part of the rock, and others to hold on by a rope fastened round a projecting point, in order to save themselves from being washed away by the surf; and thus a second night was passed, even more wretched than the first. Many of the people became delirious from the fatigue, hunger, thirst, and cold, which they had suffered, and several died during the night ; some, apparently, from the effect of the intense cold upon their exhausted frames. Terrible was the scene which daylight presented ; indiscriminately crowded together on a small spot, were the living, the dying, and the dead; and the wretched survivors unable to give any help to those whose sufferings might shortly be their own. There was nothing to be done, but to wait in hope for the return of the whale-boat, when, to the indescrib- able joy of all, a ship, with all sail set, hove in sight : she was coming down before the wind, and steering directly for the rock. This cheering sight infused vigour into the weakest and most desponding. Signals of distress were instantly made, and at last they were perceived by the vessel, which brought to, and then hoisted out her boat. Great THE NAUTILUS. 103 waa the joy of all the famishing creatures on the rock, to see their deliverance at hand ; the strongest began to fasten spars and planks together to form rafts, on which they might get to the ship; the boat came within pistol- shot. She was full of men, who rested on their oars for a few minutes, as if to examine the persons whom they were approaching : the man at the helm waved his hat, and then the boat's head was put round and they pulled back again to the ship, and left the crew of the Nautilus to their fate. The transition from hope to despair was terrible,— all that day they watched in vain for the return of their own boat from Cerigotto ; but hour after hour passed away, and they began, at length, to fear that she had been lost in the gale of the preceding night. Death, in its most horrible forms, now stared them in the face; the pangs of hunger and thirst were almost insupportable. There was — Water, water everywhere, Yet not a drop to drink. — Colehidgb. Some, indeed, of the poor sufferers were desperate enough to allay their raging thirst with salt water, in spite of the entreaties and warnings of those who knew how terrible are its effects. In a few hours those who had drunk it were seized with violent hysteria and raving madness, which in many ended in death. Another night drew on, and they made their sad preparations for it by huddling together as closeljT as they could, to keep alive the little warmth that remained in their bodies, and covering themselves with the few ragged garments that were left. Happily the weather was more moderate, and they hoped to be able to get through the night ; but worn out as they were, the ravings of some of their companions banished sleep from the eyes of the 104 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. rest. In the middle of the night they were unexpectedly hailed by the crew of the whale-boat. The first cry from the rock was—* water ! water t' but water they had none. They had found it impossible to procure anythmg but earthen vessels, and these could not be earned through the surf. The coxswain, however mformed them that next morning a large vessel would come to their relief; and in this hope of a speedy deliverance they were encouraged to further endurance Ihe mommg broke at la«t, but no boat appeared- then came a reaction, and the heart sickness of hope deferred The scenes that occurred on that day were too dreadful to relate— It was the fourth on which they had not tasted lood. Savagely They glared upon each other ; • • . . and you might have seen The longings of the cannibal arise (Although they spoke not) in their wolfish eyes.— Byeon. They must now either ta^e human flesh or perish-! there was no alternative. A young man who had died the previous night was selected to be food for the rest.* Most of them had not power to masticate or to swallow For eveiT tongue, through utter drought. Was withered at the root. CoLEHiDGE (Ancient Manner), .l,ni . remember/ says a naval surgeon. ' the above melan- choly event and particularly from one of the survivors being drafted on board the ship to which I belonged, (the Thunderer then m he DardaneUes.) The poor feUow becLe my pat": he complamed of no pam but that which arose from the horrible recollection of his having tasted human flesh to preserve his life. This preyed so deeply on his mind, that it rendered him incapable of performmg any duty, and when I saw him sinking under the nat he imght be invalided and sent home.' THE NAUTILUa 105 Before evening death had made fearful ravages, and had numbered amongst its victims Captain Pahner and the first lieutenant. Another night came on ; long and anxiously had they gazed upon the horizon— in vain had they strained their blood-shot eyes to see some vessel coming to their relief. The shades of night closed round them, and sadly they awaited the dawn of another day, resolving that if they lived to see it they would construct a raft and commit themselves to the waves, rather than remain to die of hunger and thirst. Accordingly, at day-light, they began to put their plan into execution by fastenmg some of the larger spars together, and in a few hours the raft was completed. The eventful moment for launching it arrived, when with bitter giief and disappointment they beheld the work of their hands, which it had cost them so much labour to achieve, dashed to pieces in a few seconds and scattered adrift upon the waves. Some of the men, rendered desperate by seeing their last chance of escape thus snatched from them, rushed into the sea, grasping at such parts of the wreck as came within their reach; but they were all swept away by the current, and then- unhappy comrades saw them no more. In the afternoon, the coxswain arrived in the whale- boat, but he came without bringing them any food or means of escape— for all his entreaties had been unavailing to persuade the Greek fishermen to put to sea whilst the gale continued. They had, however, promised to come to the relief of the sufferers the next day if the weather should be more favourable. This was the fifth day that these wretched men had passed without food of any kind except the disgusting morsel they had attempted to swallow. Many who were completely exhausted, stretched their weary limbs on the hard rocks and expired, and before night the greater f3 106 Hi ' SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. part of the survivors were in a state of complete insen- sibility. *^ On the sixth morning they were scarcely able to raise themselves from the rock to look once more upon the sea, when one less feeble than the rest exclaimed, * the boats are coming.* And most welcome was the sight of four fislung vessels, and the whale-boat steering towards them. Such joy was theirs m can only be understood by those who have experienced a similar deliverance from the jaws of death. The boats reached the rocks • they contained a supply of water and food, which were dis- tributed m moderation among the perishing seamen, who when they were a little renovated were taken on board the boats, and in a few hours landed on Cerigotto The poor but. hospitable inhabitants of the 'island received the strangers most kindly, and tended them with the utmost care. Out of one hundred and twenty-two sixty-four only survived. And when we think of the comphcated miseries they had so long endured, we may wonder that so many were spared. After remaaiing eleven days at Cerigotto, the remnant of the crew of the Nautilus went to Cerigo, and from thence they sailed to Malta. Lieutenant Nesbitt and the survivors were tried bv a court-martial at Cadiz for the loss of the Nautilus The court gave it a^ their opinion, 'That the loss of that sloop wa^ occasioned by the captain'a zeal to forward the public despatches, which induced him to run in a dark tempestuous night for the pa^ge between the Island of Cengotto and Candia; but that the sloop passed between Cerigotto and Pauri, and wa« lost on a rock, on the south-west part of that passage, which rock does not appear to be laid down in Heather's Chart, by which the said sloop was navigated. ' That no blame attaches to the conduct of Lieutenant THE FLORA. 107 Nesbitt, or such of the surviving crew of the Nautilus but that it appears that Lieutenant Nesbitt and the officers and crew did use every exertion that circum- stances could admit' Lieutenant Nesbitt died in 1824. THE FLORA. "TJ ARLY in Januaiy, 1808, H.M. ship Flora, of 36 guns, JLJ under the command of Captain Otway Bland, had been cnming off the Texel, for the purpose of recon- noitrmg the ships of the enemy. This object having been ettected, they shapedja course towards Haarlingen, the cap- tarn ordenng the pilots not to run the slightest risk but to give the sands of the island sufficient berth, so as not to endanger the Flora ; and so often did he reiterate these mstructions, that the pilots appeared hurt that their nautical skill and knowledge of the track should be doubted. However, to the astonishment of aU on board and to the dismay of the pilots, the ship took the ground' and struck on the SheUing Reef, about noon on the 18th of January. It was only just past high water when she struck, and there was therefore no chance of getting her oflf till the next tide. In the meantime all weight was removed from aloft, and the topmasts were lowered over the side, to shore her up. Towards evening the wind mcreased to a gale, and a heavy swell came on, which prevented their gettmg out a bower anchor, although a raft was made for the purpose ; but the night became so dark, and the sea so rough, they were obKged to relin- quish the attempt, and resolved to wait with patience tor high water, lightening the vessel as much as possible, 108 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. by Starting the water, and heaving most of the shot and other heavy articles overboard. All hands took their turn at the pumps, and worked vigorously; yet the water gained rapidly upon the vessel : this was partly atnbutable to her having struck amidships, and having a hole through her bottom, instead of her side, to supply the cistern. At about nine o'clock p.m., she began to heave, but as the tide made, the wind freshened, the sea rose, and she brought home the stream anchor, backed by the kedge, and forged on the sand. At haJf-past nme clock, a laat effort was made to get her off, by lettmg go a bower anchor with a spring abaft, which brought her head round. They then made all sail, and forced her over the reef The ship once more floated in deep water : but this object wa^ not attained without a most senous loss. The rudder had been carried away, and with It the launch and the jolly-boat, so that only one anchor and the worst boat were left for service. Aiter those moments of breathless anxiety, and after giving utterance to a short but fervent expression of thankfuhiess that they had got clear of the reef the men, almost worn out as they were, by so many hours of contmued labour, again betook themselves to the pumps m hopes of keeping the water under until they could reach an English port. But in spite of eveiy exertion m spite of continued baling and pumping, and though a thrumbed sail was under the ship's bottom, the water gamed to eight feet. As the danger increa^d, so did the vigour of the men. All wa. order, energy, and steady obedience throughout. The capt^ perceiving that i^ would be impossible to keep the vessel much longer afloat, gave orders to wear ship, and run her on the much difficulty and danger, as it wa. necessaiy to let go their te anchor. Mostof the guns were nowl^ownove^' THE FLORA. 109 board and eve^ythmg done to lighten the shin- an,l about half.past BIX A.M.,„n the 19th. her head wrbrouX round, "nd. Jteered by the Hails and a oTbTe veld «^m, towards the islands. The weather ™ tecom[nf more gloomy and threatening, and before ten^'ck^k a ; he vessel wa. so terribly shaken, that it became aw" leaving the foremast standing, with sail set, to forceTe driL "^"""f f Po^^iUe, and also to prevent her them to render such aid on pain of death. ^ '" hands that could be snarld frnl ...^ d'sregarded. AH tue surt, and about one hundred anH +K,-r^ r ., The rest of the crew, who bad chosen to stay by the SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY ship, remained on board for four days and nights, and, excepting nine, who perished from the severity of the weather, they aU got safe on shore. The above is a plain, unvarnished account, taken from the narrative of Captain Bland : it is a true tale, and needs not the ^d of romance to give it interest. For more than twenty-four hours the crew suflfered the horrors of uncertainty ; their vessel thrown upon a hostile shore, whose inhabitants were for- bidden on pain of death to assist them, whilst of aU their boats one only remained. Yet, even during this time of trial and danger, discipline was not for a moment abandoned ; no man's heart appeared to fail him ; each one performed his duty with cheerfukess and alacrity • and nobly did they all earn the praise bestowed on them' by their commander. ' I cannot help paying here,' said Captam Bland, 'the last tnbute of praise to my crew ; they behaved with order, respect, and perfect coolness to the last moment • nor would they quit the ship's side in the barge, though at the risk of her being dashed to pieces, tiH I took the place they had reserved for me.' The gaUantry and seamanship displayed by Captain Otway Bland, when in command of the Espoir, 14-gun brig, in his attack and subsequent capture of a Genoese pirate, well deserve a place in these pages. On the 7th of August, 1798, the Espoir was saiHng near Gibraltar in charge of part of a convoy, when a large vessel, which appeared to be a man-of-war, was seen steering apparently with the intention of cutting off some of the convoy. Captain Bland, notwithstanding the supenonty of the force with which he had to contend, determined upon attacking the stranger, which proved to be the Liguria, mounted with 26 guns of various calibres. On approaching within hail, an officer on board the Liguria ordered the commander of the Espoir to sur- THE AJAX. Ill musketry for upwards of tW..^ P** 8""" ""^ — ™ the Esp^? l^Lr in^antKLr wluch the Liguna returned ; but on the Espoir ta«S rne crew ol the Liguna consisted of one hundred ««.! twenty „en of aU nations, whilst that of heZo^ w^ »l^ltdr'°'*"''*^"'-'-^- '^^'^^^^ Captain Bland died in 1810. THE AJAX. QN the evening of the I4th of February, 1807 HM y ^^!P AJ^^' ^4 guns, commanded by Capt^^ ^^e otl S ^n,^^-^--^' % at anchoJofflMl' cluri th aay had ^ee^^^J^j;-^ ^^^ and m the clear moonUght every object was visible with a distmctness almost equal to that of day. The scene from the deck of the Ajax waa one of sur passmg beauty and interest. The bright r^lbeZs' 112 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. rested on the waters, and left a silvery track upon the -waves. Ahead and astern, the lofty masts of the squadron tapered darkly towards the sky, whilst the outline of every rope and spar was sharply defined against the clear blue vault of heaven. Every man in the ship, from the commander to the youngest boy, could feel and understand this natural beauty; but there were many on board the squadron who had still higher enjoyment, as they gazed on those isles and shores which recalled the classic verse of Homer and of VirgiL For them every island, cape, river, and mountain was fraught with interest. There lay Tenedos, renowned of old ; there the mountain isle of Imbros stood out in bold relief from the snow-clad summits of Samothracia. In the distance appeared Mount Ida, and at its foot lay stretched the plains of Troy o'er which the 'gulfy Simois' wanders still as it did of old. There is Cape Sigseum, and on it the tomb of Patroclus, round which Achilles dragged the godlike Hector's corpse ; there, too, the ashes of Achilles repose near those of his friend ; and a little further north, on the Rhoetian promontory,' is the tomb of 'mighty Ajax.' Homer, Euripides, and Virgil have, it is tnie, a very small share in the studies of a youthful sailor, as they do not form an essential ingredient of a nautical education; but an English gentleman, although his head be crammed with mathe- matics and equations, always contrives to pick up enough of classic lore to enable him thoroughly to enjoy such a scene as that we have attempted to describe. He is much to be pitied v/ho cannot appreciate such enjoy- ment; but in these days, when the schoolmaster is abroad, and when, by the wise liberality of the Govern- ment, our ships are furnished with useful and interesting books, none need of necessity be deprived of the exquisite pleasure which is to be derived from visiting scenes which. THE AJAX. 113 We been -d-gmfied either by wisdom, bmvenr or ™tue. We are constantly reminded thai ' kJ^lXl sters, that knowledge is enjoyment' There is LaZa noa.q„„ement in literatj T science tl^rXo^t We have lingered on this subject longer than «r« moon shone on the blue waters 'ofTe H^ ^ t."' ^^ ooon after nine o clock p \f ri i recpivpri fr^rv, k- £ A ,. ' <^aptain Blackwood had oTri£"a^fjr CtThetr''"''^^*''^-'^'^ were on Ly, h^ re'ti^dTtWr tX 't v:;"sht: t; T\ ^ ^'"P^''' »>«'»« tte stafnerof t^ mght was broken by the appalling cnr of 'Fre"' It r %t ^^' ""'""' *o tear4heVof '^e-'L awful as the voice of him who J' ' J^u-e . as A,.d would have told him hjfh« Troy w« burned. The officer of the wateh instantly informed Cantain Blackwood of the alann. He hastened up™ de^ fmmd too surely that flames were burstlg from tte ^Tf^vt. He gave orders to beat to quarteiT-te fire Wood and a midshipman to proceed in one of the boats to all the ships of the squadron to request assi^ce ' St' ^f J'"'" f*" ^'"'"- f""y into the feelings of taptam Blackwood at that awfully critical moment imredTi'd" I'^r' ^'^ """O-^ ■"- thr^"^:^ Wked to hfm-'"''r'' "^^ ""« "f "«'* ^i'' hundred looRed to him for du'ection and guidance. lU SHIPWRKUKH OF THE ROYAL NAVY. In order to inspire others witli courage and confidence, ho must display decision in every look and gesture. Wlmtovor others might do, his lip must not tromble, nor his oyolid se the shrieks and de^th yells of Ztptl men. who, miable to gain the for^tle, had souglt S aloft, where the flames had now reached them ^ home, rather than endure the horrible suspense, trusted themselves to the mercy of the waves, and by ^CZt overbear^ ended their lives and sufferings i^ rwTr^ En. oTV" 'u'" ^°''^' '"" "» ^'i' knees, iiZ plonng God for that help which they despaired of ..jmng from mortal agency. Perhaps these m'n would not have thought of prayer to Heaven in face of a human foe but now that the 'last enemy' glared upon them ta hath saad. Call upon me in the day of trouble.' farTn'i ^""^^ V^" «""'' "^ ""oy e^'Ploded. echoed trlTui^ir tidewaters. and added to the honors of In the midst of his people stood the captain, endeavour- 116 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. ing to sustain their sinkiDg spirits, and exhorting them to be firm and to depend upon the boats which were now heaving m sight. He then bade them farewell and sprung mto the sea ; he breasted the waves for a length of time, but his strength was nearly exhausted, when happily, he was seen, and picked up by one of the boats of the Canopus. As the boats from the squadron neared the Ajax, the. agonizmg fears of the sufferers were changed into 'wild transports of joy; so sudden was the transition from despair to hope, that many of the crew lost all self-pos- session, and perished by jumping into the sea in their impatience to reach the boats. Such details as these, showing the effects of fear upon untutored mmds, make us thankful that a great change tor the better has been effected within the last forty years with respect to the rehgious and moral instruction of our sailors. Every ship's company is exposed to casualties similar to that which befel the crew of the Ajax,— to shipwreck fire, and sudden destruction,— and no man will deny that m time of extreme peril, a calm and composed mind is the greatest of blessings— the want of it, the greatest misery. Few will be sceptical enough to deny on the other hand, that the best security for such composure, ma moment of unforeseen danger, or of unlooked-for deliverance, is a firm and sure trust that there is a God above, who ' ruleth over all ;' whom the winds and the sea obey, and who is 'might/ to save,' even in the hour of man's direst extremity. To instil this knowledge and trust into the hearts of our seamen, and by it to make them both better men, and better saUors, should be the chief object of everj^ improvement in education. Lieut. Willoughby, of the St. George, had hastened m a cutter to assist the crew of the Ajax, and he very THE AJAX. 117 wth much reluctance, left to ther fa^ P^,'' '??■ cutter across her hawse ^^ ^' "^^^ *^® ■ Y'^ ^ ""^ **''^ "P *« account as riven bv M»r.l,„ii in his ]fav be burned listed to be cutter was red it im- SlVilloughby vas running e ship, was ssible from videntially, cable had round, and before the ; and thus loom of the Imighty for 3's position 3fore every orched, and side of the le morning, be felt on « career .JlrlZS^^" "' "'"" '"' '"^<»' ^ '^ of Kbit: Te' J, 'r '''^ «"™^'' "' '"« •-"!« that the Kussel w'^'vetm .hL" ? '^™"'*''»'' return to the ship We n«» fi^ T,.*^"'^ "P"" ^ Frforming a mZ iJZ, T •'' """ ^^^g "«<»' when they were each to dischaS* a brtn ."*'""' to a shot fired athwa.t the'bZ, by ;r^,f:heV^ Jnded'^™e%^Xntr "' ''" T'^"' launch nf fl,.. w. 1 ^^®P^' ** *^e moment when the launcn ot the Hercule, commanded by Mr Willm,r,l,r was entering the harbour. When Mr will Iv^ ^' the critical position of the Clorinde «n^ V^ J "^^^^ "^"^ hoi^F 1^T^'"i^ I"°°^^''' ^l'^* if *e frigate wZd hoist Enghsh colours, he (Mr. Willoughby) ^uld 2 upon GenenU Deasalines, and dema.d^l^ TbhS gl: to"i T^'^''= """■ " '■'^ -«-* «f the cSde Sh K P'«*^^'^g the night, the crew and nassenge« should be considered prisoners of war. l««engers II li tl 122 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. General La Yoyae readily accepted the proposed terms, and accordingly, Mr. Willoughby proceeded to negotiate with General Desaalines, who promised compliance with his request. Jhe boats of the Hercule were sent to the assistance of the Clorinde, and they succeeded in heaving her off. Thus, by the timely exertions of this zealous young officer, some hundreds of lives were saved, and the British navy obtained a frigate which, for many years, was one of the finest of the 38-gun class. At the attack on Cura^oa, in 1804, Mr. James relates that for the sake of encouraging his men, Mr. Willoughby used to take his meals 'sitting in a chair upon the breast-work of a battery, while the earth was ploughed up all around ; and one man, we believe, was killed on the spot; but still the table and chair, and the daring officer who sat there, remained untouched.' In the following year, the Hercule had captured a merchant schooner, and one of the prisoners gave notice that a Spanish corvette of twenty guns was lying in St. Martha, South America. Mr. Willoughby thereupon volunteered to attack her; and on the 4th of July, he took the command of the prize, and parted company with his ship, accompanied by three midshipmen and thirty volunteers. On the 6th, they entered the harbour of St. Martha; Captain Samuel Roberts, then a mid- shipman, was at the helm, with a check shirt on, his head covered with a French kerchief, and his face black- ened. The rest of the men were below, except a black, and a mulatto. The schooner being well known, the deception was perfectly successful, ami she passed the batteries without interruption; but, to the disappoinment of all on board, no corvette was to be found. Mortified in the extreme, they put about, but not in THE AJAX. 123 f^m the island and CClrTn" V' """ '"« •»**«"- severe wound wS^, He soon afterwards received a othe^'safet/tbanfor UsZ 1^" T' "«"'«''' '» «qu^ron from Consta^tinor^n^Ck ''""5 "' *''' a large building on the island'of P^^ ""^' "'"'' to them^deSg the^.f j''^ ^°T^'^ «^«. <»Ued out was him'self atS by" w: pS bi^f *""" '"'""^''*' ""^ head, just above the n^ht^^^l"' !^d ;T""r"'« direction upwards-and has n^er h .* ''^^'^^ other shot cut his left chel in 1 f° "''*'**''= *« he lay apparent lifeless but fl V ,*"' *""« ™'»'t«« of an a^ M^ttj Z^j,* tr™;f ^ *>•« movement his companions ■ and Th^ ■ !^ *" ^'"^^'' hope in fioyalGWge ^ "^"^ ''™ «" hoard the and'aSt'e^r ^^^.V'"' "^t "' "<"--■'-. cmu^ingoff the Isle „f?"„ ''°°& *''«'' ^'"Ployed in himself in cuttLgoutlmr^^t , 1 ^' di^'i-^iBhed of the batteries of the BWV T """""f '"'^ f't^^™ at the capture of St P^ f''""' '"'^ ''»'' "^ "^^^^^ Nereide. ^"'' ''<' ''^ appointed to the thiJVSlwCtiL": "**"' "P"" •^»<'°*^'^ ^«*<>»ght to -pireT^tn'Xrr^^.t^'^' *^'*'«' - '''^an Usual courage and 124f SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. ardour, he headed them himself in full uniform. After a desperate resistance on the part of the enemy, he suc- ceeded in spiking the guns of the fort, and taking prisoner the commanding officer. For this service he was pro- moted to the rank of captain. In the course of the same year, 1810, a musket burst in the hands of one of the men, so near to the place where Captain Willoughby stood, that his jaw was fractured, and the windpipe laid bare, so that his life was despaired of. He had hardly recovered from this w^und, before he was engaged in an attack upon Port Louis, Isle de France. The disasters which befel the squadron upon this occasion have now become a matter of history, and they need not be recounted here, — suffice it to say, that Captain Willoughby continued to keep up an unequal conffict until nearly all on board the Nereide were either killed or wounded. Nor did he surrender, although he had entirely lost one of his eyes, and the other was much injured, * until, (to use the words of Vice-Admiral Bertie) after a glorious resistance, almost unparalleled even in the brilliant annals of the British navy.' Upon his return to England, Captain Willoughby had a pension of 5501. per annuni awarded to him in con- sideration of his wounds. Having no immediate prospect of employment at home, he repaired to St. Petersburg, and oflPered his services to the Czar. In his very first engagement in his new career. Cap- tain Willoughby was taken prisoner by the French, — falling a victim to his own generosity. During the action, he saw two Prussian soldiers severely wounded, — dismounting himself, and desiring his sefvant to do the same, he placed the wounded men upon his own horses, and attended them on foot. They were quickly over- THE AJAX. 125 m in con- taken by some French cavahy, and Captain WiUoushby tJ^2.e' ^ "^ '"'""^' ""^ "O"'" l-^ 'Jl-ed to He gladly consented to this; but, to his astonishment ^ h She' :r"^ •"?"' ''^ -- »"»--» *^ march with the other prisoners. In vain he protested W this breach of faith-he wa. obligedt'^^r^^d His suffenngs from cold and hunger whUst ^^t' the deserts of Russia and Poland Ire intel S mtnessmg the heartrending scene, of Moscow hT^t length reached Mavence Th«„™, >, '^"'^^' ne at Mete «n^ l^ J«iayenoe. Ihence he was removed to Metz and he had scarcely reached the town before Bouillon, where he remained a close prisoner for nine months He was then taken to Peronne, and there^e contmued untd the arrival of the Allii at Sons when he contrived to make his escape. ^ Soon after his arrival in England, Captain Willougbbv received the Order of the Bath,-an honom- Zcdr thatltr , ' \'^f*^- It --^y safely be asserted From his first entrance into the service, to the end of the late wa^, all his eneigies were devoted to the seivice of his country; and now that his services are no loX required, with a constitution shattered by s^e Td wound, he IS employing the remainder of his^ayst c^^ftle^ "*""'^ ""■ '^''^''^ *»--d= his feC! sincrt!!l"f ^^""^^^y became adminJ in 1847, and 126 THE ANSON. O^HE y^ar 1807 was most disastrous to the British J- navy: during that period, we lost no less than twenty-nine ships of war, and, unhappHy, the greater part of their crews. Some of these vessels foundered at sea, others were wrecked or accidentally burnt, and it was at the close of this eventful year that a calamity occurred which equalled, if it did not surpass, any pre- vious disaster. The Anson, of 40 guns,* under the command of Captain Charles Lydiard, after completing her stores for a few months' cruise, sailed from Falmouth on the 24th of December, to resume her station off Brest. The wind was adverse, blowing very hard from the W.S.W., until the morning of the 28th, when Captain Lydiard made the Island of Bas, on the French coast. As the gale was increasing rather than subsiding, he determined to return to port, and accordingly shaped his course for the Lizard. At three o'clock p.m. land was discovered, apparently about five miles west of the Lizard, but owing to the thickness of the fog, there was a difference of opinion as to the land that was seen, and therefore the ship was wore to stand out to sea. She had not been long on this tack before land was descried right ahead. It was now evident that their position was extremely dangerous,— the ship was completely embayed, and the wind raged with increasing fury. Every exertion was made to keep the Anson off shore, but without success, and It was not until she was Tearfully near to the rocks that * The Anson had been a very indifferent 64, and was cut down to a 40-gun brig. IBE ANSON. 127 ras cut down ^thThl ^ ^T^^* '" "" '"°''"''' " t'^^ty-five fathoms, lengOi. The top-gaUant masts were lowered upon deck a«d m this state she rode from five o'clock P^^w^^' tt ^K^'i.*"l *■""■" °'«'»* *« -''' "on^g whin the cable suddenly parted During the night the e^e ^ t^mendous. and the sea ran mountains Ug^l^ 1^^.^ aT^^Z'' '"''^°'' ™""='' ^^ immediately ^. and th. held until eight o'clock, when it als^ t«.n, Captain Lydiard felt that he had done his utmost to save her, but in vain, and that now everv energy mZ be put forth for the preservation of huml H^"t come to then- a.d, nor could the strongest swimmer hopi to gmu the shore. It appeared to Captain Lydiard thkt the only chance of escape for any of the crew was in mnmng the ship as near the coast as possible. He save the ne^ss^ ordeis, and tie master ran the vessel on the sand which forms the bar between the Loe Pool and the se^ about three mUes from Helstone, The tide had been ebbmg nearly an' hour when she took the ground and she broached to, leaving her broadside heeling over' and facmg the beach. ^ ' bafflet^T^ 5 '^"^' '•'^ «""""*■ ""^ o^o which ^!rK . r"P*'T ^"^ "^ *■'« ■»«■> were washed away by the tremendous sea which swept over the deck- many others were HUed by the fallmg of the pL the ^hmg sound of which, as they feU ffom aloft, Sg el with the shneks of the women on board, was hkrd even 27 ^ '"^ °^ *'"' ™*"™ *■"* 'he howling of the ZT ,^.1"''«*'.^'« '"ed with crowds of spectators, who watched with an intense and painftd interest the grkial 128 SHIPWRECKS OF THE HOYAL NAVY. approach of the ill-fated vessel towards the shore, and witnessed the subsequent melancholy catastrophe. Calm and undaunted amidst the terrors of the scene, Captain Lydiard is described as displaying in a remark- able degree that self-possession and passive heroism, which has been so often the proud characteristic of the commander of a British ship of war under similar harassing circumstances. Notwithstanding the confusion of the scene, his voice was heard, and his orders were obeyed with that habitual deference which, even in danger and in death, an English seaman rarely fails to accord to his commanding officer. He was the first to restore order, to assist the wounded, to encourage the timid, and to revive expiring hope! Most providentially, when the vessel struck, the main- mast, in falling overboard, served to form a communi- cation between the ship and the shore, and Captain Lydiard was the first to point out this circumstance to the crew. Clinging with his arm to the wheel of the rudder, in order to prevent his being washed overboard by the waves, he continued to encourage one after another as they made the perilous attempt to reach the shore. It was fated that this gallant officer should not enjoy in this world the reward of his humanity and his heroism. After watching with thankfulness the escape of many of his men, and having seen with horror many others washed off the mast, in their attempts to reach the land, he was about to undertake the dangerous passage himself, when he was attracted by the cries of a person seemingly in an agony of terror. The brave man did not hesitate for a moment, but turned and made his way to the place whence the cries proceeded; there he found a boy, a prot^g^ of his own, whom he had entered on board the Anson only a few months before, clinging in despair to a part of the wreck, and wi^out either THE ANSON. 129 "u lue Doy, whilst he cheered him hv w..,.^^ r wild ™ves swept over them, a^^'yp^Ltd rl*"'' It must not be supposed that the pSon th?t were unconcerned spectators of the fe3ul IV^ ^'"^ was enacted before their eyes B,i«lt^ ''^ *** proverbial for their daring and Lreridt T Z "* childhood to the daneere and W^?^' ^"""Jfro" their perilous calW^"ve^t '^ ''*'"?'^^* °" ^hej^en We alwayf C^o^7Jrjr&i:e" that cannot produce its true hXl^l^lT^"- risked, and are willing again to Ak^r^j";" '"'™ save othera n,., c I, ■ , ' "^"^ "wn hves to navy.Xli.l^In^t^X^faSt':' °" have so long rendered our fleets pre-eminent overT^l of everjr other country in the world Tut h^^ T generous disposition To a^st an/Jris^^ ^^J^ ture, there were m this instance more powerful JJ to exert every effort to save the crewof thTIZn 1^'' f!^t"^ ^\^'^-^ for ->me timealtTnLS;' mouth, so that acquaintances, ftiendshins IZ lu d^er t,es had been formed between theThaitfj the nmghbourmg towns and villages, and the pZle of the unfortunate vessel. But a fe^days befort Sv h^' g3 ' ISO SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Il witnessed a far different scene, when she left their shores in all the pride of a well-ordered and well-disciplined man-of-war, amidst the shouts, and cheers, and blessings of the multitude, who now beheld her lying within a few fathoms of them a helpless wreck, her masts gone, her bulwarks broken in, the waves sweeping over her, and breaking up her timbera The surf ran so high, it was impossible that any boat could reach the wreck. The life-boat, in 1807, had not been brought to the state of perfection it has attained in our day ; and the many inventions which science and art have since introduced for the preservation of life, were for the most part unknown in the times of which we are now writing. Several men attempted to swim to the ship, but with- out success; they were all, one after another, cast back exhausted upon the beach, and many of them without sense or motion. At last, when there seemed no hope * left of affording aid to the sufferers, Mr. Roberts, of Hel- stone, seized hold of a rope, and boldly struck out in the direction of the Anson. He was a powerful swimmer, and his courageous efforts were watched from the shore and from the wreck with intense interest, and many a heartfelt prayer was breathed for his safety and success. Tossed on the foaming waters, at one moment lost to sight, and almost suffocated in the spray, and at another rising on the top of a huge wave, he at last reached the ship, and was hailed as a deliverer by those who were still clinging to the spars and rigging. The rope which Mr. Roberts had taken with him was made fast to the wreck, and this formed a communication with the shore, by which many a poor wretch was saved who must otherwise have perished. Another instance of heroic self-devotion was exhibited by a Methodist preacher, a little k\ or in the day, when. THE ANSON. ISl ^ no one appeared on the ship's aide, it was supposed irowned but this brave and good man thoueht that thero might be some still left on board who we« u 'bk to make an effort to save themselves and uTdrthi! mpression, he ventured his life throU he "urf foP ZtX" u " f " '■■^"g 'P"*" Hkf lumseirwtl" great difficulty they gained the wreck, where as tfiev had anticipated, they found several pe^ns i^g^^tw all too much exhausted to get upon deck. So^ S terror and despair, called upon G^ for mercy ;Tthe« in hopeful trust, seemed resigned to their fate an^' -round them. Two women and two children were „f the number. The preacher and his gallanrco^el had the happiness of saving the women and ZTrf the men, but the children were lost. • Sixty men, amongst whom were Captain Lydiard and his fi..t-lieutenant, perished in the wreck of ^^11 Ihe survivors of the crew were conveyed to HeC^e where they received eveiy attention and kindnels whfch their unfortunate condition required. The bolv of Captain Lydiard, which was washed on shore "^w^ interred at Falmouth with military honours. ' life^f clrf.*'"';* "?,1 ^"""""S particular, of the r^l ^ ^ "^ '"'* ^ unacceptable to the of ^H *°'^r^ "l^ ""'^ " *''" y^*'' "8». '» the flag-ship of AdmuTid Darby, who then commanded the cG fleet, and from that tmie served as a midshipma^^er ^veml commander, on various stations, boU. at horn: and abroad, dunng thirteen years. In 1794 he wZ appointed a lieutenant of the Captain, of 74 guns S^ which ship he served in two generd engagement bth! a ^ 132 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Mediterranean. In July of the following year he removed to the Southampton frigate, commanded by Captain Shields, and afterwards by Captain Macnamara. On the evening of the 9th of June, 1796, the South- ampton was stationed with the fleet under Sir John Jervis, oflP Toulon, when a French cruizer was disco- vered working up to Hierres Bay. The commander-in chief called the captain of the Southampton on board the Victory, and pointing out the ship, directed him to make a dash at her through the Grand Pas. Accord- iDgly* the Southampton weighed, and, in order to delude the French into the supposition that the ship was either a neutral or a French frigate, hauled up under easy sail close to the batteries at the north-east of Porquerol. The stratagem succeeded; for before the enemy were aware of the approach of the Southampton, the ship was alongside of the French cruizer. Captain Macnamara cautioned her commander not to make a fruitless resist- ance; but he replied by snapping his pistol, and pouring in a broadside. In a moment, the English boarded, led on by Lieutenant Lydiard, with an impetuosity that nothing could withstand. After ten minutes' spirited resistance on the part of the French captain and a hun- dred of his men under arms, the * UtDo' surrendered, but not before the death of her gallant commander, who fell at the beginning of the onset. Lydiard was instantly promoted, and appointed to the command of the ship he had so gallantly captured. In the year 1801, he was advanced to the rank of post- captain, and though frequently soliciting employment, did not succeed in obtaining a command until 1805, when he was appointed to the Anson. These pages will not admit of our recounting the many instances in which this oflficer's gallantry was con- spicuous. Before concluding, however, we cannot refrain d THE AMSON. 133 from laying before our readers tho fi,1i™- the last enterprise in whirr!nJ-T^-T8 "~»"'" »^ ^d which 2^r^ated bv hkT^^^*'^*'««''8aged, anmicfe.. ^ '"' """S^Phe-- in The Naval -^^^^Ze^ '^^T'' J;?- -fi'*«>. than she Arethusa, ^^ ^^Z^Tt^Tf "'"'>' "' »''« proceeding, and detemSned, at TS? btl '/ ^^^. either to capture the'i^il o"t fehTtht atucli:?;:S'etrn'^tir?r«.ti ^r «f they reached the entmnce of ^IX '^^'^'^' a^d da™ of day, on the 1st oTjI*^, ^^^ -""^ ** ^^ ' In order to inform the reader »!,'„ acquainted with the ama^ng^^nrtr„f T'' """* ^ shall avail ourselves of such LZtuTCTT^"' tw:^:o^:ri^.^r^,lr--:^-o.o. s« pieces of cannon; the entrance only ^™°S ^^" and so circumstanced, that it is imBoZiH. / v^ ' return by the same vrind that IkTuTn IT **.*" entrance of the harbour was thTn, * ^'r ■ ^""^ *« Hatslau. of 36 guns, ZZ stifat ofX^^t^ » Vol. XIX. p. 449. 134 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. two large schooners of war; a chain of forts was on Mesleberp- hetf»hts, and that almost impregnable fortress, Fort 1.«^>' 'f.iirjue, within the distance of grape-shot, enfilatling 'oim whole harbour. The cool determined braveiy of British seamen perceives obstacles only to surmount them; and with this determination the squadron entered the harbour, the Arethusa, Captain Brisbane, leading, foUcv ' '■•- close line by the Latona, Captain Wood; Anson, Captain Lydiard; and Fisguard, Captain Bolton. * When the headmost ship got round the point of the harbour's mouth, the wind became so unfavoii able that she could not fetch in; but to return was impossible — ^it was too late. What a trying moment ! At that instant, however, there came on a squall, in which the wind shifted two points in their favour, and they proceeded close together. ' The enemy were panic-struck at such unexpected gallantry, and all was confusion. A severe and destruc- tive cannonade now commenced, and the Dutch frigate was boarded by Captain Brisbane, when the Latona instantly warped alongside and took possession, and Captain Brisbane proceeded to the shore. The Surinam was boarded fiom the larboard bow of the Anson, while her starboard guns were firing at the batteries; and Captain Lydiard, upon securing the Surinam, went im- mediately on shore, and landed at the same moment with Captain Brisbane. Immediately debarking their respective officers and ship's companies, they proceeded to storm the forts, citadel, and town, which were by seven o'clock completely in their possession, and at ten o'clock the British flag was hoisted on Fort Republique. Captains Brisbane and Lydiard were the first upon the walls of Fort Amsterdam. Indeed, too much cannot be said in praise of the almost unparalleled bravery dis- THE BOREAa 135 played by the officers and men of all the ships on this everything glonous to the future.' ' THE BOREAS. TN the afternoon of the 2l8t of November, 1807, the in se^rZ'f ^ f^"' ^"P'"^" ^"^^^ ^««**' P^^^^^^e^l ZfTf n ^ P ''"^""*' ^^^"^^ *^^ ^^^^ Wown off the coaat of Guernsey m a gale of wind. This boat was picked up and taken in tow, when about SIX o clock P.M. it was discovered that the ship wa« near the Hannois rocks, about two miles to the south-west of Guernsey. Orders were immediately given by the pilot to put the helm down, but whilst in stays, the ship struck on the larboard bow; and although ever^ exertion was made to get her off, it was found impossible to do so. The point of a rock was reported to be through the well, rendering the pumps useless. The ship then heeled on her larboard broadside, and the captain gave orders to cut away the masts The moment the ship struck, the pilots basely deserted her, and made off in their own boat, without even offering assistance to those who had encountered this danger and disaster m their service. Ha4 the pOots returned to Kocquame only two miles distant, they might have pro- cured aid for the Boreas, and preserved the lives of her 136 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. crew. When Captain Scott was convinced that there was no chance of saving his ship, he ordered an allowance of spirits to be served round, and the gig, the launch, and cutter to be prepared for lowering. The gig, with Lieutenant Bewick, a lieutenant of marines, and six men, was sent to give information, and obtain assistance. The launch, with the gunner, and some others, was ordered to take on board the sick, and land them at Hannois Point, and then to return to the ship ; and the cutter, with the boatswain, and a few men, was despatched on the same service. Captain Scott, with noble intrepidity, remained to share the fate of his vessel. The launch, under the orders of the gunner, succeeded in reaching the Hannois Rocks, as did also the cutter; but the greater part of the crew of the launch abandoned her as soon as they touched the land. In vain did the gunner use every persuasion to induce the men to return with him to the assistance of their comrades who were left onboard the Boreas; they were deaf to his entreaties, and he was obliged to put off again with only four men. The wind and tide were so strong, and so much against them, that the utmost exertion was necessary to enable them to make their way towards the ship, and when they got within two hundred yards of the back of the rocks, the launch was half filled with water. They then tried to make the land again; but before they could reach it the boat was swamped, and the men were saved with difficulty by Mr. Simpson, the boatswain, in the cutter. There is little doubt that if the launch had not been deserted by the greater part of her crew, she might have reached the Boreas, iind have saved many valuable lives. And here, in justice to the majority of the ship's company, we must observe, that those who manned the launch were chiefly smugglers and privateer's men lately THE BOREAS. 137 impressed, and were not to be considered as part of the regular crew of the ship. »» pan, oi tne asLfnlwM" '!:' ^^ ^' '"'™ ■J«'«ly ""^ntioned midsS J"!,, P' "■" " ^'^' «"*'«'•■ (containing two Id twoT' f l*!"."^'' "' ^"«'«" ""d Hemmings, of the fi„t heutena^t, who^ humanity induced him to take tks expedient for savmg the Hves of the two boys. catl!r hT!5 """ V""^ *'^* " » f«« "Omenta the cutter drifted away from the ship, but the generous feehngs of the boys forb^e them to desert their Im! rades in distress, and with great exertion they pulled back to the vessel; they called for a rope, but were orde^d to keep off, and again their litUe' bo^t^^ earned away by the current. Once more they attempted to get ba^k, but their strength was unequal i the C ^d they were carried out into the open sea. TheS situation was m many respects little better than that of the friends whom they had left upon the wreck,-the mght wa, p,^h d„t. the boat h^ neither ma^t nor sail and the sea ran so high that they could do nothing with the oa« Every now and then the flash of a gun s«n across the black distance, told them that the Bo^^a^ stiU held together, and that she was making signals of di^ess; but no sound reached their ears sfve^eroL of the winds and the waves. Even the booming of the guns was lost in that dismal roar. The Uttle party scarcely expected to survive the night- they were drenched to the skin, and suffering intense^ from the cold; the waves broke over the bows of th^i^ M boat, and threatened each minute to overwhehn it • tW did'' tlT™ ^""^ '"'^ ""* ™'' ■" »**«' despair; n.L 1l Z """"" *" ^'^P themselves afloat" b; hands. They thought the night would never end, 1S8 SHIPWRECKS OF TEE ROYAL NAVY. and that they should never see the morrow ; but day dawned upon them at last, and then with what anxious eyes did they sweep the horizon. But in vain they looked ; not a sail was to be seen. An hour passed away; they shipped such a quantity of water that their imperfect attempts to bale it out were almost use- less. The boat sank deeper and deeper, and their hearts sank too. Suddenly a ship hove in sight, and she seemed to be bearin,^ towards them. Hope and fear struggled for the mastery in their breasts ; hope urged them to renewed efforts to keep themselves from sinking, whilst, in breathless anxiety, they watched the vessel. She came nearer and neuer; the watchers felt sure they were perceived; then a boat was lowered, and they thanked God for their deliverance. In a few minutes they were received on board H.M. ship Thalia, more dead than alive, after so many hours' endurance of cold, hunger, and dismay. We mudt now return to Captain Scott and his com- panions on the wreck. The men were mustered by the officers on the quarter-deck ; they numbered ninety-five, or ninety-seven, and they had been all actively employed in making rafts, and lashing together spars and other materials, by which they hoped to save themselves, in the event of the ship going to piecGs before assistance should arrive. Hour after hour passed away, and no help came; by the noise of the vessel grinding against the rocks they knew that she could not hold together much longer. Captain Scott continued to issue his commands with coolness and decision, ani they were promptly obeyed by both officers and men. About four o'clock in the morning, the quarter-deck being ao longer tenable, all the crew were obliged to betake themselves to the main and mizen chains. They had d THE BOREAS. 139 already suffered severely from the cold, but they had now to endure it in greater intensity. In their exposed situation the waves frequently washed entirely over them, and their limbs were so benumbed with cold that It wafi with the utmost difficulty they could hold on to the wreck, so as to save themselves from being swept into the abyss of waters that seemed yawning to receive them. By degrees, even the cries and the complaints of the sufferers became hushed: not a word was spoken- in awful silence they listened to the groaning of the timtirs, and the sullen roar of the waves dashing against the rocks! In this state they had remained another hour, when a hollow sound was heard below them ; stHl they spoke not a word, for from the captain to the youngest boy every one knew what that sound foretold, and that the last struggle was at hand,— for many, the last hour of existence. Then a universal tremor was felt through the wreck, and the boldest heart responded to that shudder. The very timbers seemed to dread their impending doom : with a mighty crash they yielded to the force of the waves; for a moment the ship righted, and then sank beneath the foaming waters. The pen is powerless when we attempt to describe an event like this, for we cannot penetrate into the secret recesses of the heart, nor can we delineate the agonies of conscience which too often inerea=.e the anguish of such scenes, when the near approach of death unveils to men, ^uths they have been unwiUing to learn or to believe! Many a cry for pardon and mercy is raised in the hour of shipwreck, from lips that never prayed before. The best and bravest then bow their heads in awe, however well they may be prepared for the dangers that are incident to their profession; and chough from childhood 'these men see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the i, 140 SHIPWBECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. ml il deep/ yet it must be an appalling moment when the plank they have been wont to tread in calm security, is torn from beneath their feet, and they are left as helpless as infants, to be the sport of the wild billows ! The moment the vessel sunk, many of the men struck out for the plank nearest to them; a few of the strongest and best swimmers gained the raft, but others who were benumbed with cold, or otherwise unable to swim, perished immediately. The quarter-master was one of those who reached the raft, and he found the captain, the doctor, and some others, already upon it. Captaia Scott v/as so much exhausted by the mental and bodily sufferings he had endured, that the doctor and the quarter-master were obliged to support him on the raft. He became gradually weaker, and lingered but a short time ere he expired in their arms ; and a few minutes afterwards a huge wave swept over the raft, and bore with it the body of the lamented commander of the Boreas. About eight o'clock in the morning, a number of boats put out from Guernsey to the relief of the survivors, and carried them safely on shore. We have aheady mentioned the cowardly and inhuman conduct of the pilots in deserting the Boreas, and it is also a matter of surprise, that although twenty guns were fired as signals, and several rockets and blue lights burned, no help of any kind was sent from the shore till the next morning. One of the witnesses on the court-martial affirmed, that a pilot on shore had heard the guns firing, and had inquu-ed of a soldier on guard whether it was an English or French man of-war ! On the soldier replying that he thought it was an English vessel, the man refused to put to sea, saying, by way of excuse, that ' it blew too hard.' Through the exertions of Lieut. Colonel Sir Thomas Saumarez, about thirty seamen and marines were taken THE HIRONDELLE. 141 Off the rocks of the Hannois at dayKght, making the entire r.umber saved about sixty^ight; whilst the loss amounted to one hundred and twenty-seven A 7^.^ ^f^^'^^S is an extract from the despatch of Vice- Admn-aJ Sir James Saumarez:-'The greatest praise appears due to Captain Scott and his officers and men under such perilous circumstances-in a dark and tem- pestuous night, in the midst of the most dangerous rocks that (^n be conceived, and I have most sincerely to lament the loss of so many brave officers and men, who have penshed on this melancholy occasion. ' Captain Scott ha^ been long upon this station, and has always shown the greatest zeal and attachment to his Majesty s service, and in him particularly his country i^ets a great loss, being a most valuable and deserving il THE HIRONDELLE. J'HE Hirondelle, a 16-gun brig, had been originally ottbP r^ ^"T.*'''- ^^' ^"' *"^^^ ^y *^^ boats of the Tartar m the year 1804, when attemptmg to escape from that vessel through a narrow and intricate channd between the islands of Saona and St. Domingo. The Tartar finding from the depth of the water that she could not come up with the schooner, despatched three of her boats under the command of Lieutenant Henry MuUer, assisted by Lieutenant Nicholas Lockyer and several midshipmen, all volunteers, to endeavour to bnng her out. The instant the boats, put off, the MirondeUe hoisted her colours, fired a mm. nrtf 142 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. her broadside towards them. As they advanced, the privateer opened a fire from her great guns, and as they drew nearer, from her small arms also. In spite of this, and of a strong breeze directiy on the bows of the boats, Lieutenant MuUer intrepidly pulled up to the privateer, and after a short but obstinate resistance, he boarded and carried her, with the loss only of one seaman, and one marine wounded.' * Such was the first introduction of the Hirondelle into the British navy. Her career in it was of short duration, and its conclusion fearfully sudden and disastrous, as the following account, given • v the survivors, will show. On the 22nd of Febiuary, 1808, the Hirondelle, commanded by Lieutenant Joseph Kidd, sailed from Malta, bound to Tunis, with despatches on board. On Wednesday evening they steered a course towards Cape Bon, but unfortunately they got within the action oi' the strong current that sets eastward along the Barbary Coast, so that, instead of making the Cape as she intended, the brig fell some few leagues short of it to the eastward, and run aground. As soon as the alarm was given, all hands were turned up; the night was so dark it was impossible to ascertain the exact position of the ship, but they distinctly heard the breakers on the shore. Every effort was made to bring the vessel up, by endeavouring to anchor, but without effect; while this was going on, the cutter had been manned with ten or twelve men, and she might have been the means of saving many lives, but she was no sooner lowered, than the people rushed into her m such numbers that she was almost immediately swamped, and all who were on board her perished, except ona man, who regained the deck of the Hirondelle. The commander now saw that the loss * James's Naval Histort/. BANTEBER. 143 of his ship was inevitable, and he therefore denied hi, crew to provide ftr their own safety. The "™ scarcely uttered, no one had had tL to aJ^ uLT when suddenly the brig gave a lurch and Ctt Tw,^^ the sea washed over her, and of all her men, four o^; were left to teU the sad We. HappUy for IbZ tUy were clingmg to the wreck, and so ^ped the fate of their companions who were swept overboard; and by This accomit is necessarily brief: so short a time elapsed between the unexpected striking of the ship 3 her gomg to pieces that there is no incident toreC have r""n ' ^l^'^"'^ of *he Hirondelle seem to have done aU m then: power to extricate her from her unfortunate position ; indeed, it would appear that had they attended less anxiously to the prese^tion of the ship, many hves might have been saved ) I BANTERER. TTIS Majesty's ship Banterer, of 22 guns, under the J-J- command of Captain Alexander Shippard was plrM^ir f \^'=*°'-'' 18««. between PortVuf Z Pomt Mil le Vache, m the River St. Lawrence, whilst in the execution of orders, which Captain Shippard had received from Sir John Borlase Wai^en, directbg him to cZlV"''; 'h' "'*' '^ ^""^ d-patoh,.o^are a convoy to Mafland. The folk wmg is the account of this disastrous affair, as ven hv Captain Shippard :— given U4! SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. i ) i * Being as far as the Island of Bie in pursuance of orders, through rather an intricate navigation, with foul winds the greater part of the time, where the charge of the ship devolved upon myself, and the only chart I could procure of the navigation in question being on a very small scale, I felt myself relieved from much anxiety by receiving a branch pilot on board on the 28th October last, on which night at eight P.M. we passed between that island and the south shore, with the wind north by west, and very fine weather ; at nine, the wind coming more round to the westward, we tacked for the north shore, in order, as the pUot said, not only to be ready to avail himself of the prevailing northerly winds in the morning, but because the cuixent was there more in our favour. At midnight we tacked to the southward, and at two A.M. again laid her head to the northward ; and at four A.M. the pilot having expressed a wish to go about, the helm was accordingly put down, and on rising tacks and sheet, it was discovered that the ship was aground. As we had then a light breeze at west, the saUs were all laid aback, the land being in sight from the starboard-beam, apparently at some distance, I imme- diately ordered the master to sound round the ship, and finding that the shoal lay on the starboard quarter and astern, ordered the sails to be furled, the boats hoisted out, the stream anchor and cable to be got into the launch, and the boats to tow her out two cables' length south-west from the ship, where we found the deepest water ; but by this time the wind had suddenly increased to such a degree that the boats could not row a-head, and latterly having lost our ground, we were obliged to 1p'; the anchor go in fifteen fathoms, about a cable's length "W.S.W. from the ship, on which, having got the end of the cable on board, we hove occasionally as the flood made, and in the meantime got our spare topmasts over III; the side, with the BANTEREa 145 a bower'an'ohorshluMt'"" "i "'*'''°« » -^ «» carry out and the stUI i^^ ^r^rd^d'^*"^ '"^"^^H •About half-past ele™n f,^ ^ ! ""P"'^"''''- then taut ahead' ti.fZZ7sW ZT ""\*'^'"« sea, the ship canted suddenly with hi' T\ ™'''^ ^^"^ ward, where we had d^/:: 'r l^^ *"*« «""*h. our coulees, jib and driver anrff "T^'^^tely set most sanguine hopes of g^ttW t oTh '^ '^ *''^ tunately disappointed, a!d ^the ^^A r'" ""''°'- obliged again to furl s^ '''' °"^« "« were masts, not only to e^e W buf;''' ""* """^ '^« '"^ npondeck; wf also rde^^i:'., /!?' *t'^""^ but the motion was so violenUhat fn! ."P- **" '"P' a five-inch hawser were re2\!^f " ^^ '"^ ^"^ "^ we were lashing thelolZf^ "^PP<"'' ^t*" which deck port. AVilo^Sr^ r-T''*''^ "'»'"- loss of the ship, as theater wis 2 *.^■-"t-b■e pumps, I availed myself of the Z.t' «^°'»« »- «he to land the sick, and a partv „f „ ^^""""""^^o moment some provisions,lthfe couU if T"^'' ■""■ ""y^ ^■«' time of tide, even with tC l^dtff'lot "*l' f " "t^ those on board in a^f f,-«^ s^ore,— and employed other provisi^r: c^ulfbelmT:: '"' "'"* "'«'' '"^ th^ fltdtite\rdtmi:g2 »" ^"^ p-p^ - northward, we again set our"2saU but'^^ *" '""^ desired effect A« +K^ * loresaii, but without the oomehomtihe win'wairdrw^ ""'■ ''— lighten the ship. ° '"™'"f"' *« attempt to the' w^nroff ro!^:ltv!T' " '"-^-d-te, with tl^ng that could %r7he:Kl^f.-^-^- H I v3Ui Viii, '^ 146 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. two on the forecastle for signals. As the flood made, we again set what sail we could, and hove on the stream cable, — though, with all hands at the pumps, we found the water increase in the hold as it flowed alongside ; and it was the prevailing opinion that the ship would have foundered if got off. Being now convinced, from concurring circumstances, as well as the repeated repre- sentations of the carpenter, that the ship could not swim, the water having flowed above the orlop deck, and much sand coming up with the pumps, we desisted from further attempts to get her off the shoal, and continued getting such stores and provisions as we could upon deck. 'Towards the afternoon, the wind again increasing from the W.S.W., and the water being on the lower deck, I judged it proper to send some provisions, with such men as could be best spared, on shore, that, in the event of the ship going to pieces, which was expected, the boats might be the better able to save those remaining on board; and on the morning of the 31st, conceiving every further effort for the preservation of the ship unavailing, it then blowing strong, with every appearance of increasing, I felt myself called on, by humanity as well as duty to my country, to use every effort in saving the lives of the people intrusted to my care, and accord- ingly directed the boats to land as many of them as possible, keeping the senior lieutenant and a few others on board with me. 'The whole of this day there was little prospect of saving those who remained with the wreck, as the surf was so great that the boats could not return to us; several guns were fired, to point to those on shore our hopeless situation, and stimulate them to use every possible effort to come to out relief; but they could not effect it, notwithstanding every exertion on their part, which we were most anxiously observing. As the only BANTEREB. 147 means which then occurred to mo „<■ • on boanl, I directed » Z^ u °/ "*""« *« P«>ple on the b;>n.rS w^ ' Tt' "^'^ *e sp^ U culty, in aC't^ W r""?"'? «<»- ^i*t much diffi- ship with great ^olenr'andr """ ""^"^^^ »™^ *>>« severity, that even Ste^i i"^ "" " '''*" '^*'' »<'<=1' this state of awful JL" ..^ ""^ ™''^- During that the ship wl"z;L^^ttTir" '"*""' hensive, from the steepness of tl^t' , . ^^'^ W«- feU with her decks toXeTee as the^bh' '^^ *^ """" " r.'^r'' '""^' "- inrvithl^p'e^'S '" *'' 'About half-past eleven pm h.^1 as the Uves ofthepeopkwere «;« fh^^ '^"^ "^' ""d tion, I sent as mJLy rf th^m on sll r^*^ ""^'"^'"^ as well as by the launch wh« T ^ ''^'' «* P^'^'We, and at two Iron the J n" she was able to come off succeeded in seid^ng ev fy^^lT' '"'™«P-™-ly the ship with resret in tlo * n T^" "" ''"""■^' ^ '«» some dLultyXou^h the „° ^ "Tk' T'-'^''^'^' -* same morning^ i attend t^"' off ^th^t* V' *^« as much provisions and stores^^ po^bt t^^/" T^ impracticable as tho »>„o* possible, but found it thiLndthe'rjed4i;r::i'rT^- ^' could not launch the b«L J ^ contmmng, we -h vr^^t.^^:c:jzztr '^^ houses which wprp H,-on^,r^ j T ' *^ ®^^^ en»Pty ward of wwlwe iTntr rT '^T^'' '» "-^^^^ exertions we had^Vv LI ,1 r'"^ ""** ™*'' ^' »»■• the officers and crew wtptulT^^'^r"'^^^ theme^nchotyprosperfCrg.Sr-''^''' «>t4%^S-thrh^r£'5ew:;tmode. P-Hed the JoHy ^, ^^ ^JuS f-^S 148 SHIPWRECKS OF THE BOYAL NAVY. called Trois Pistoles, about forty-five miles distant, on the opposite side of the river, that he might find his way to Quebec, to procure us assistance and relief, there being no possibility of communicating with any inhabited quarter from where we were but by water. * During our stay near the wreck, we had repeated gales of wind, both to the eastward and westward ; and 80 violent, and with so much sea, that the mizen-mast was thrown overboard, all the upper deck beams broken, and the ship's bottom beaten out. * We embraced every intervening opportunity of going off to save stores by scuttling the decks, which were covered with ice, the ship on her broadside, and the water flowing over the quarter-deck. On these occasions we were generally away ten or twelve hours, exposed to the wet and cold, without nourishment; from which, and fatigue, I had to lament seeing the people every day become more sickly, and many of them frost-bitten from the severity of the weather. By the indefatigable exer- tions of the officers and crew, we succeeded in saving all our spare sails, cables, and stores, to a considerable amount ; though the cables were frozen so hard, that we were obliged to cut and saw them as junk. • * On the 7th, I again sent a boat with the second lieu- tenant, to Trois Pistoles, in the hope of procuring, if possible, some temporary supplies; but the wind increas- ing to a violent gale from the eastward, with a heavy fall of snow, they got frozen up on the opposite shore, and did not return till the 12th, having then only procured three hundred weight of flour^ a few potatoes, and some beef — ^two men having deserted from the boat. * At this period, I had a respectful request made me from the people, to be allowed to go to Trois Pistoles, that they might shift for themselves whilst the weather BANTERER j^ would admit of it drpnHm^ +t, i»« longer wherl^-we't^bt ourTT"",!' "'"'^■'- carried above one-thW „;? t""^'^'? """^^ "ot have service would have ™ff«edloJ»r'*""l *" P""'" rate. We had al«o !! i j "^""^g them to eepa- I believe, of WT Z"lt ^^^^^ oonseque/ce, them; t^o 01 thfdirr? °'«lr''"'y prospect before retunled delirious Xr fi" 7'^''r8tt back, aad oue in a state of Zrte hal.T f ^f"' *'*'> ^'^ ''^^ to eat during Z!^2 T^irJ;'^ """^ '"^^ «*« pedshed in the woods from th!! T^ """'* ''»'"' were brought balk ' "'^'^'""s of the men who from le'lt'pllf^^/r"'^-' - -re relieved a small scholr^ ,, Tf L""?"'^ ^^ *'"' "^"^"^ <>f Quebec, aad inW Lnthat 7 *' P™™'""^ ^o"" cured, ^d was ea^^lT f ^ *'^'P'"^ ^ ^^'^ P^o- ice setting TwouTC! T ™' •^'''°'' "">*""? »'>'' the 2*th I hS the^SfS^rSng ar T t government schooner «nr, r^^'^^|^ » letter by the carried fn f^. ^""^^'*' .^^^^ we embarked, and were carried to the opposite side of the river wherp T ."^^'^ port was expected,— the i^ilnf ^'^^^!'\'^^^^^ ^^e trans- bring the ship nearer to , P7*/«^«^™g It unsafe to cLiJ ""'P. ""^^^^^ to us at that season of the vear ' Captain Shippard roncludes h,-« «« .• • ^ the fo.Wmg_tHU to th:tiSL:r ^^0= timony ;,7he nl^^ ? ""^ ^^ *'"'^<«'''' t» bear tes- to save the shipTS ;t:fer,'''itv"™"'°« IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) / /- O <- M K, 1.0 1.1 11.25 Ui |2.8 12^ S 1^ 12.0 2.2 1^ i^_ mil 1.6 V] vl 7 - /A ^'^\^ ^'^M ^'> ■'// °m Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. M580 (716)872-4503 «> ^. l/. k 150 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. saving the stores with the dire prospect before them of being cut oflf from all supplies had the winter set in, the ice rendering all communication impracticable during that season of the year/ The suflferings and privations endured by the officers and crew of the Banterer, during such trying circum- stances, have been ably described in the above narrative of Captam Shippard. From the 29th of October, to the 24th of November, a period of twenty-seven days, these men, with little hopes of succour, had borne, with almost unexampled fortitude, not only hunger and cold, but, to use the words of the surgeon, * a considerable number of the crew were affected with inflammation of the extre- mities, which in nearly twenty cases produced partial mortification, and one extensive gangrene on both feet, attended with delirium and other dangerous symptoms.' Captain Shippard died, sn, rear-admiral, in 1841, THE CRESCENT. HIS Majesty's Ship Crescent, of 36 guns. Captain John Temple, with a crew of 280 men, sailed from Yarmouth about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 29th of November, 1808, for Gottenburg. When she left Yarmouth, the wind blew fresh from the south-west, and it continued favourable till the following afternoon, when the weather became overcast, and the wind increased to a gaJe. The vessel proceeded on her course for some days, and at daylight, on the 5th of December, the coast of Norway was discernible from the deck. At one o'clock P.M., they sounded in twenty-five fathoms, on the coast of Jutland; an hour later they sounded in eighteen fathoms, THE CBESCENT. 151 and at three o clock they were in thirteen fethoms. The ^o^m chaige of the Crescent requested the master t! ^^2 ^l^ ^"°P'* ""* *^^y ^'^^ tl»t tte ship the topsads dose reefed. The advice of the pilot^ was unmediately acted upon, and they at the sLe t^^ a^ured the <»ptain that they were weU acqu^ 7^ the soundmg^ and they had no doubt the ship would drdt with ^ety. Suddenly she did drift i^to ten o^X.M '^"^ '" *""* <>*P* •-*" ^^' Captain Temple felt anxious for the safety of his ship and her o-ew, and he inquired of the pilots if any alter^ tion could be made with advantage. They rephed thTt none was necessary; but that the Crescent should be kept on the same tack till daylight The vessel drifted Ml ten o dock P.M., when she struck. A boat was imme- diately lowered U> sound. The men reported the current settmg to eastward at the rate of two and a-half or three niiles an hour. As the sails were now only forcing the ship further on the shoal, orders were given to furl, and to hoist out all the boats except the jolly-boat and gig-both of these o^ers were promptly obeyed. At this time, the current was tating the ship on the larboard bow, and cantiii^ InLr^ ; !^- ''"^'' ^ ^^ ^^' «ff' **^« ^' were loosed; but this, mstead of having the desired effect hove her round mto a worse position than before. The s^B were again furled, and an anchor and cable were got mto the launch. The boats then took the launch in tow and endeavoured to puU her out; but the force and mpidity of the current rendered it impossible to do so The situation of the Crescent became eveiy instant more penlous; the gale had mcrea^ed, and the wind wbicn had veered round to the north-west, blew dirp^f 152 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. on shore, forcing the vessel further on the shoal. As a last attempt to save the ship, the captain directed tha* the bower anchor should be let go, and the ship lightened by heaving the guns, shot, balls, &a, overboard. Little good resulted from this step; and then the water was started and the provisions thrown overboard out of the fore and aft holds. Pumping now became useless, as the water had risen to the hatches; and when at last the cable parted, all hopes of saving the vessel were aban- doned, and at half-past six in the morning of the 6th of December, the masts were «ut away by the captain's orders, and she lay a helpless wreck. The boats which, until this time, had been lying oflf in tow, broke their hawsers; and when the people on board found it impos- sible to regain the ship, from the force of the current, they made for the shore, and fortunately all succeeded in reaching it, with the exception of one of the cutters, which was lost with all her crew. Lieutenant Henry Stokes, who was in one of the other boats, fearing that she would be capsized, jumped overboard, and attempted to swim on shore, but had not strength to buffet with the waves, and was drowned. The storm continued to increase as the day advanced, and the men on board the wreck being completely exhausted, they piped to breakfast, and a dram was served round. At one o'clock p.m., a raft was commenced, and in about an hour it was completed and launched, and placed under the charge of Lieutenant John Weaver, of the Marines, Mr. Thomas Mason, clerk, and Mr. James Lavender, midshipman. The crew of the raft was composed chiefly d£ the sick, or those least capable of exerting themselves for their own preservation. When the raft left the ship, the captain and gallant crew of the Crescent gave three hearty cheers to their companions, whom they were never likely to behold again. It is hard to say which of THE CBBSCE17T. U3 butr! r T'" «^^i««*P«ril, or nearest to destruction; but m aJ such cases, those who are obliged to wait fo^ the awful moment, are subjected to more intense mental Buffenng than those who act, and are enabled to take aaay measures, however perilous, for saving their Hves. ^e people upon the raft returned the farewell cheer, and a« each wave da«hed over them, and they again floated on the surface, they announced their safety with another a^ another shout. They had little hope indeed of Zr "^•.^^' -^"'^ ^^"^ *^"y ^^^« «*^^ding up to thenr middle m water, and every billow that roUed over them earned away one or more of their number. Happily some of those who were washed off the raft succeeded m regaining it ; and seven of them perished the rest were safely landed, and to the constant exertion^ of the officers to keep up the spirits of the men, they wer. greatly mdebted for their preservation. A second raft was begun on board the Crescent, but it was never completed ; the sea made a clear breach over her; the quarter-deck became filled wi.h water, and it was therefore necessary to launch the joUy-boat in order to save aa many lives aa possible, though she could scarcely be expected to live in such a sea. Once more Captain Temple and above two hundred men and officers said fareweU to the companions of their toils and dangers --once more they bade God speed to the frail bark- their own laat chance of escape— and watched it as it was now borne aloft on the crested wave, now buried in the bnny furrow. For a time they forgot their own danger m Mixiety for the others; but they were soon recalled to what was parsing around them-the groaning of the timbers, aa every sea struck the wreck with an increaaing shock, forewarned them that she could not long resil thaA mighty force. There were two hundred and twenty human bemgs entirely helpless to save themselves. h3 154 SHIPWRECKS OF THE EOTAL NAVY. Noiie may know the agonies of that hour, when even hope itself had fled — ^when nothing intervened between the soul and the unseen world. The Crescent went to pieces a short tin^e after the departure of the jolly-boat, and every one left on board perished, to the number of two hundred and twenty. Amongst the lost were the captain, three lieutenants, a lieutenant of marines, nine midshipmen, the surgeon, purser, carpenter, and gunner; two pilots, one passenger, six women, and a child. The surviving officers and crew of the Crescent were tried by a court martial, at Sheemess, for the loss of the vessel, when the court was of opinion that * the loss of the Crescent proceeded from the ignorance and neglect of the pilots, and that the master was blameable, inasmuch that he did not recommend to the captain or pilots either coming to an anchor, or standing on the other tack, for the better security of H.M. late ship Crescent.' * The court was further of opinion that every exertion was made on the part of the remaining officers and crew for the safety of the Crescent.' THE MINOTAUR. HIS Majesty's Ship Minotaur, of 74 guns. Captain John Barrett, was ordered ~by Admiral Sir James Saumarez to protect the last Baltic fleet, in the year 1810. After seeing the convoy through the Belt, the ship sailed from Qottenburg about the 15th December, and, with a strong breeze from the east, shaped her course alone for the Downe>. THE MNOTAUB. 155 311 even between went to Uy-boat, mber of (rere the maxines, ter, and I, and a snt were fis of the le loss of leglect of nasmuch 3t6 either tack, for exertion and crew , Captain $ir James the year the ship iber, and, er course RoW% 1^'^^ "t **"" '^^°^« ""^ *^« 22nd, Lieutenant Robert SneU took charge of the watch; the wind was ^dl^lT'^^^u ^r *^" ^"*^-^^' '^' ^^*J^er thick and hazy, and the ship, under close-reefed topsails, and courses, was gomg at the rate of four khots an hour! Wtion of the pUot of the watch At midnight, the plot desired that the vessel might be put on the ;ther t^k and aJl hands were instently turned up to carry out his du-ections, and Lieutenant Snell was in the a^t of swSk '^^'^'" '^ ^^^* "''' ^'^^ ^^' ^^^^ *^« The helm was ordered to be put up, but the firet shock had amed a-way the t^ler ; fruitless attempte were then made to ba^k the ship off, but she had struck with such W upon the sand that it was impossible to move her Ihe caipenter now reported fifteen feet water in the hold ; and it increased so rapidly that in a few minutes It rose above the orlop deck. The officers and the whole 01 the ships company were assembled upon deck, and the universal question passed from mouth to mouth— Un what coast have we struck V The pilot of the watch maintained that they were on some shoal on the English coast ; the other pilot, however was of opmion that they were upon the North Haacks' and this proved to be actually the case. ' For a few minutes after the ship first struck there was some degree of confusion on board; but this soon subsided ; order and tranquillity were restored, and the men all exert^ed themselves to the utmost, although she struck the ground so heavily, it wa^ almost impossible tor them to keep their feet. The masts were cut away, and other means taken to lighten the ship; and guns were fired as signals of 156 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. distress, but no aid was afforded to them during that long and dismal night. The darkness was so intense, it was impossible to see beyond a few yards, and they could only judge of their proximity to land, by the sullen roar of the breakers £& they dashed upon the shore. In this state of uncertainty and dread, the night passed away; and daylight at last discovered to the crew of the Minotaur the horrors of their situation. The ship was firmly imbeded in sand, and had gradually sunk till the water covered the forecastle. All the boats excepting the launch and two yauls were destroyed, either by the falling of the masts, or the waves breaking ovetv them. .>H At eight o'clock A.M., the Minotaur parted amid-ships, and the sea made a clear breach over her. The gunner, seeing that she could not hold together much longer, volunteered to go off in the yaul, and endeavour to obtain assistance from the shore. Captain Barrett at first refused the offer, as he thought it impossible the boat could live in such a sea ; but upon further con- sideration, he gave his consent ; and the gunner, with thirty-one of the crew, succeeded in launching the yaul, and getting clear of the wreck. The ship now presented a most distressing scene — portions of her timbers and spars were floating about in all directions, with casks of spirits and provisions which had been washed up from the hold. Crowded together on the poop and the quarter-deck were officers and men watching with eager anxiety the progress of the boat After two hours of breathless suspense they saw her reach the shore. Their comrades' success was hailed with joy by the shipwrecked crew as a happy omen for themselves — ^it inspired them with hope and con- fidence, and some of them immediately attempted to THE KINOTAOB. 1S7 f ~» .. "a ** "^ "^^y fortunately succeeded m gettmg her .float, and numbers then ruAed to Z fc^ ^'i.^T'^ "'^"'^ ™ Lieutenant SneR He ae« wkch he knew the launch must pws, to enable hS to clear the wreck. He watched his op^rtunUy «,d In the course of an hour, the launch gained the shore where mstead of receiving the assisUn^ theyX^' and^ the ku.dness their unfortunate circumLrT: molded, the crew were met by a party of French soldjen, and mmediately made prisonei. In vain they mplored the Dutch officers, who we:e also on theCi thewmck, the.r earned entreaties were met by a cold The fete of Lieutenant Salsford was distingiushed by A^f^ f««™a8tance^ A la^e tame wolf, caught at Aq.ro, and brought up from a cub by the ship's company and e:tceedmgly docUe, continued to the kst an oWert of general soUcitnde Sensible of its danger ^ ho^ :^bT'r'^"^'"^«- '' "^ 'awaysi;n g3y attached to the heutenant, and through the whole rfthe^ suffenngs he kept close to his master. On the breaking up of the ship both got upon the mast At times they were washed off, but by each other's assistance reg Jed H •The heutenant at last became exhausted by continual exertions, and benumbed with cold. The wolf was equally fet^ed, and both held occasionally by the other to retam h,s situation. When within a short distant „f ae land, Lieutommt Salsford, affected by the attachment hLt^fT"*^'.'"'* *°**"5' ""*"" »°y lo-g^' to support hnnself, turned towa«is him fiom the ,Lt. the W ' ^■17't-i^ 'ijF•«* have been considerable danger for boate, from the fact of the second yaul being L, and Captain Barrett's hesitation before he aUowed the gunner to eave the ship in the first yaul; and in charity we must give the Dutch the benefit of this evidence. At fte same time we have the equally conclusive testimony k wt! ^f, ■""!"«. "ft'^o boats from the Minotaur, that t was not mipossible- for even a somewhat crazy boat smnvorB of the Minotaur's crew were marched off as prisoner to Valenciennes. From which place, the ^nner Mr. Bones, ^ntrived to make his escape o^ Z 3rd of February. After suffering the greatest privations concea^mg himself in banis aifd stables by'^^r^d toavelhng by night, on the 17th of March he LZn board a smugglmg lugger, about a mile from Ostend ts"ur:f JL""""" ^^•'"'-'"'-i-EngUndfo; NOTE BY A NAVAL FRIEND. me loss Of the Minotaur may be attributed to their not knowmg then- position; the pUot's desire to put the ship on the starboaxd tack at twelve o'clock at nigHwUh the wind fi«m the south^t, showed that he th^t hunself on the English coast This fatal en^r in fhe navigation of the ship is not easily accounted for it &n^J: 8^* "T"* from the dread of appreaching ae d^igerous sh<«ls on our own coast, many of them fa? fnlt^ ir p-r*" ''.*'"' ^'^' ■«"» O^e--. Smith's Knowl, the Kidge, and otheis farther in shor;. Great fear of these shoals is felt by all hands, and no doubt the man at the helm would be cautioned not to bring the dnp U> the westward of her couree, and he would 4ere- 160 SHIPWRECKS OF THB ROYAL NAVY. fore be apt to err on the other side — currents also may have carried her to the eastward. I am tempted to offer this opinion from having experienced a similar danger. In the year of the Battle of Copenhagen, I was in the Lynx sloop of war on her return from the Baltic, and when we supposed ourselves in mid-channel, betweeij Yarmouth and the Texel, about two o'clock, in the middle watch, we touched the ground in broken water; happily the weather was moderate, and, by hauling to the westward, we soon got into deep water again. The following morning, about ten o'clock, we spoke a lugger, and were informed that we were seven or eight leagues from the coast of Holland. The distance run from the time we struck, told us that we must have been on the Haacks. A happy escape. ' THE PALLAS AND THE NYMPH. TN the month of December, 1810, the Pallas, a 32-gun J- frigate, commanded by Captain Paris Monke, was returning, in company with the Nymph, Captain Edward Sneyd day, from a month's cruise on the coast of Nor- way, and was steering for Leith, with a prize in tow. She had not got far to the southward, when, on Tuesday morning, the 18th, between nine and ten o'clock, land was discovered, but the weather was so thick, it could not be clearly defined. The pilot, however, gave it aa his opinion that they were north of the Red-head. Towards the middle of the day they fell in with some fishing-boats, and Captain Monke having requested one of the fishermen to come on board the frigate, he learnt from this man that the ship was at that time off Stone- I^^H^' i also may ad to offer ix danger., aa in the 'altic, and betweeij I, in the en water; auling to un. The spoke a a or eight ance run lave been [PH. > a 32-gun oke, was I Edward of Nor- B in tow. Tuesday 3ck, land it could i-ve it as •ed-headL ith some sted one 16 learnt F Stone- THE PALLAS AND THE NYMPH. Ifil ori!,'!"' ""^ y "*^- ^' '»" ■'■<='«'' -•«•= the u.u,J fZ\^ '"'^lu ™PP*' ""^ 8*™"; *« ™d w«« Wowing fram the north-weat, and the vessel going at the rate of ^^«^^ ""^Z ^""P*' '"'"8 °™' ">« <•""» beat ^2T^^ "M""" '^P*""' ''*"''8 '^"^"^ the usual reports, ordered the watch to be called. At six o'clock m c^phance with the wish of the pilot, the couni w« altered from south-west to south-south-west For the ^quarter of an hour the ship had been increa^ng her the topgallant scudding sails ^ere therefore taken i^' also the Jib and the spanker. Soon after this the pi^ot pomtmg tow-ards the coast, said to the captain, < Them's the Ked Head; but it was too dark, then, to see the land, much less could the outline of the c^ast be d^ ^nlt- ^\^e^^' """l he was answered in the ^n r f *r ""^"^ ""* "««" of the watch to haJ the fore-astle, and direct the men to keep a vigilant look-out for the Bell Rock Light Ere many minutes had elapsed after the order was given, a light was perceived before the starboard beam which the pilot declared to be a signal hoisted on 2' pier at Arbroath to" show that there was water enough for vessels to enter the harbour. The captain then went below to consult the book of saUing directions, and when he returned upon deck, he said to the pilot, -If that Vht be on Arbroath pier, as you suppose, we ought most ^iWy to be m sight of the light on the Bell Root' ne pilot rephed, 'We shall soon see it;' and Captain Monke repeated to the officer of the watch his order to keep a sharp look out. As the Ught on the Bell Rock did not appear, the 162 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. captain became exceedingly anxious; the more so, as he was convin^v>d, by reckoning the distances from the Tod Head to the Red Head, and from the Red Head to the Bell Rock, and comparing their sum with the run from four o'clock, that the ship had run as many miles to the southward as would bring her up to the Bell Rock. To ascertain exactly the position of the ship, he desiied the master to work off the run by the log up to eight o'clock P.M., and in a short time the master reported that by his calculatioa the light which they saw was no other than the floating light of the Bell Rock, and that they had now only to bear up and shape a course for the Isle of May. The captain had been upon deck for more than five hours, and was so much fatigued that he went down to the gun-room to get some refreshment, at a little after ten o'clock, leaving positive orders with the officer of the watch and the master to be most attentive to the ship's course; and he was so andous for her safety that he had scarcely sat down in the gun-room before he sent for the pilot-book of sailing directions, that he might ascertain more exactly the position of the Bell Rock, and the course and distance from thence to the Isle of May. In a few minutes, the officer of the watch went down to report that the May light was in sight, and Captain Monke was in the act of going upon deck, when the vessel struck the ground. He instantly rushed upon deck, and inquired of the master where he supposed the ship had grounded. The reply was a startling one:—* I am afraid,' said he, 'that we are on the Bell Rock, and not a soul will be saved, unless we can forge her over it' How they could possibly be upon the Bell Rock, when the master had himself so confidently declared they were nmning from it for some hours, appeared a mystery: but this was no time for arguing the matter. Captain Monke saw the danger both to the ship and all on board: I re so, as he )m the Tod lead to the le run from ailes to the Rock. To desiied the ght o'clock that by his other than 3y had now e of May. than five t down to little after ficer of the the ship's ty that he re he sent he might Jell Rock, the Isle of '^atch went sight, and leek, when shed upon )posed the one: — * I Rock, and 3r over it' ock, when ired they I mystery: Captain on board: THE PALLAS AND THE NYMPH. 103 he ordered the drum to beat to quaiters, and the men bTsrrhat\t'^^"'^*'^'p^«^^ orTered tt i^'f ^f ™ ^«* ^aniaged, the captein ordered the foreta«k to be hauled on board, and the yards to be braced with the larboaxd brace, ^hl^h was done wathout loss of time. The lead was cit to ascT ta.n the depth of water, which the quarter-maste Lorted ItSl "' ,^-^iP'-^-l^atfix.thadtaken1he g.ound ea^dy, now began to strike with great violence- aad when they found that she did not forge ah" e' yards were braced aba<.k, but to no better purpTse for she remained hard and fast as before ^ ' Land wa« now seen to leeward, and the master changed the T/ M ^ T^^' *'^* *^^ ^^*^ ^ «truck^on Ire 1 sf t"; '^* ^ P^^* *^^"^^* '^^y —e on shore m St Andrew's Bay, and blamed the master for having hauled too soon. As the tide was faJiing,There was httle hope of getting the ship afloat, although this was so fa. fortunate, that it afforded a bkter ch!nce o escape for the crew. Orders were given to man the pumps, and the people obeyed wathala^ty. and worked b/t„ms throughtt the mght with the ntmost vigom-. The ship seem!d Z eome up easier for a time, and the caT>enter reported twelve feet water m the hold. When the moon vme the position of the frigate with regard to the land wa^ discovered; and as the tide ebbed, her larboard bow appeared to be but a short distance from the nearest rock^ From the time of the ships striking, guns h^ ot^. 1 ^^.T^'r' ^'^- *° "^"^ the attentl^ of the mhabitants of the coast, and these signals were soon answered by lights displayed along the shore, and arge fires kmdled on the beach. The glare of the torches moving to and fro on the shore denoted the inchnation of the people to render assistance to the 164 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. unfortunate vessel. Voices were heard hailing the ship, but it was impossible to distinguish the worda The boatswain and carpenter, and some others, declared that the men said, * You are in St. Andrew's Bay — come on shore.' Upon this, the boatswain and gunner volunteered to land with two men in a small prize skiff, for the purpose of reconnoitring the beach. This proposition was immediately rejected by the captain, who assembled the principal officers on the forecastle and declared to them his determination not to suffer a single boat to be lowered during the night— but that they should all stick to the ship until daylight, as the only chance of preserving their lives. Happily the captain's orders were obeyed, though doubtless many would feel tempted to risk a landmg. The Pallas became more and more uneasy — her rudder was carried away, and the sea broke completely over her. The men were each served with a dram, and were still kept at the pumps until three o'clock A.M., when the main beam broke and the others began to give way in succession. In order to lighten the vessel, the mainmast was cut away. At first, this did not appear to have the desired effect— but in all probability it would have fallen of itself and have done injury to the people ; it now hung over the side, and promised to serve as a raft in case of necessity. The foremast was then cut away, and the mizenmast was doomed to follow— but the axe and tomahawk, which had been carried forward, were lost, or washed away. The ship by this time had fallen upon her beam ends, and the sea was making breaches over her, so that every individual had enough to do to keep himself from being washed overboard. About four o'clock in the morning, the spirits of the crew were revived by seeing a boat appear between the wreck and a large fire that had been kept burning imme- the ship, rds. The ared that -come on iunteered r, for the roposition issembled clared to oat to be I all stick •reserviDg , though landing. ;r rudder over her. were still when the re way in nainmast have the ive fallen low hung n case of and the axe and :e lost, or ten upon ihes over ) to keep ts of the ween the ig imme- THE PALLAS AND THE NYMPH. 165 Many of the men by this time were suffering mZh from cold hunger, and fatigue, and those whoTl"bIe got nto the wither chains for safety a^d shelter. Day' tt^hlTTt.*!,*."" '^' '^ Po^'-o" "f *e ship; may was that of a hme-kiln on the main land and a., the Ba^ a«d North Berwick law were plaint v'isMe U was evident from their bearings that the fri^tl was ;» bottom had separated to some extent amidships from her upper works; a considerable portion of her floor tober 3 ritt°"* *'\'^'' *° ™'»"-<' of ae rl ™^e hull, and the iron ballast witiin this frame of timber was thus open to view. It was now time for eve™ to provide as far as possible for his own safety ^ rllf T ""* T" °° *°'" 5 ^^™>^ «>» attempted to follow his example, but five of them perished The ^::^d«fT »»»'-'-"'^'' had beenlamichid wtth g^eat difficulty on account of the heavy surf beating on Sth:tq';r"'^;i*^^';'P** *^° "'-"o* » t^e morfing »!fr f ^f"^ *" ^°^ o^* •'"^""^ from the wreck and landed them in safety This success encouraged the people to try to emolov stove, or otherwise rendered useless,, with the exception without matenal mjuiy and fortunately reached the land with as many as she could cany. The Hfe-boat andmg with a number of officers and men; and a tUrf time she touched the wreck, and was again ^owd^S people, but unfortunately the rope whkh she ca^dl^* 166 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. hauling line was too short to reach between the ship and the shore, and this time she had scarcely put off from the quarter before she filled and upset. By this accident, six of the crew of the Pallas were drowned, and one of the bravest feUows belonging to the life-boat. The other thirteen men who manned the boat, and several people from the wreck, were saved with great difficulty; a small fishing-boat, which had be6n opportunely launched through the surf, picked them up. Amongst others so rescued from a watery grave were Captain Monke, and Mr. Walker, the first lieutenant. The crew of the fishing-boat persevered with great courage and good judgment in their efforts to save the rest of the crew. They procured a small tow-line, which being held by one end on the beach, they made fast to the mizen chains of the ship. The boat was then hauled to and fro until, in eight or ten trips, she had cleared the wreck of all the people; and, with the exception of Mr. Tomlinson, the boatswain, and ten or twelve others who perished, the whole of the ship's company were saved. The kindness and hospitality exercised by the inha- bitants of Dunbar and the surrounding country were beyond all praise. The sufferers, many of whom were insensible when carried on shore, and unconscious of the manner in which their lives had been preserved, were lodged, fed, and clothed. Captain Monke, who was much bruised, was carried by Captain Maitland to the house of his father. Lord Lauderdale, at Dunbar. The first lieutenant, Mr. Walker, who was picked up apparently lifeless, was conveyed to Broxmouth, the seat of the Duchess of Roxburgh, \Khere he was, under Providence, indebted for his restoration to the unremitting attentions of the duchess and her husband, Mr. Manners. The humblest of the crew were equally well cared for. THE PALLAS AND THE NYMPH. 167 ship and off from accident, d one of lie other .1 people culty; a aunched others so ake, and of the id good [le crew, held by e mizen I to and .red the ption of e others ay were le inha- ry were >m were IS of the id, were rho was 1 to the rhe first Darently of the vidence, tentions ixed for* The duchess went from room to room, ministering to the wants of the sufferers, and seeing that every comfort was provided for them. It is gratifying to record that a handsome pecuniary reward was given by government to the fishermen and othermhabitants of Dunbar who so nobly risked their lives for the sake of their fellow-countrymen ; and the widow of the man who was lost in the life-boat had a pension of ^25 per annum settled upon her. ' I am persuaded,' writes Captain Monke, in his narra- tive that this court will participate in my feelings and would thmk me most forgetful, if I did not here publicly express my grateful sense I shall ever retain of the humane and liberal conduct of the Duchess of Roxburgh and Mr. Manners, who in their hospitable mansion at iiroxmouth administered every sort of comfort and medical relief to the far greater part of the suffering officers and people of the Pallas, many of whose lives were thereby preserved to their country. In justice to my own feelings, I cannot close my narrative without declarmg to this honourable court that no men under similar cu-cumstances could behave better than did the crew of the Pallas. So far from being dismayed by their perilous situation, they manifested equal firmness and subordmation; and, in fact, from the first moment of the ship stnking the ground, to the time when necessity compelled every individual to consult his own safety they obeyed all the orders with as much alacrity as cheer- fulness, and (what is more) without either noise or con- fusion Hence, sir, T consider myself justified in assert- ing that, notwithstanding the number victualled on board at the time was reduced to one hundred and sixty, if any human exertion could, in the first instance, have got the Pallas afloat, she would not have been irre- coverably lost to the service. I must also beg leave to 168 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. add, that the officers set every example ; and that from Mr. Walker, the first-lieutenant, I derived, throughout this trying scene, the most effectual support and assist- ance/ The Nymph, which we have mentioned as heing in company with the Palla**., got on shore the same night, on a rock called the Devil's Ark, near Skethard, misled by stme irregularity in the lights on the Bell Rock and Isle of May. - The crew of the Njnnph were all saved, but the fine frigate was lost. ST. GEORGE AND DEFENCE. AMONG the many services in which the fleets of Great Britain were engaged during the last war, none was more rife with perils and hardships than that on which the Baltic Fleet was employed. During the long winter nights the crews were continually exposed to intense cold, and the ships were often enveloped in such impenetrable fogs, that sometimes even the pilots were deceived as to their true position, and those lamentable consequences ensued of which the loss of the Minotaur was an example, (see page 154), her officers conceiving they were on the coast of England, when they were actually stranded on the opposite shore. We will briefly mention two instances, which may give the reader some idea of the severity of the climate in the Northern Seas. On the 23rd of December, 1808, the Fama (which had sailed from Carlscrona the previous day, in consort with some other men-of-war, and a convoy of merchant- men,) struck upon the Island of Bomholm, in the midst ST. GEORGE AND DEFENCE. iqq objeota The moment theXSk T T"""^^^ ping, her commander, sprunf fa,mTX 'v'"T' ^"P" «pon deck, without Shi^elfl^f *"f "'*.*'' :^thott :^if ^ f '? •"^^^^ -"^^ time the veseel £^,2.^/^^ «^^nutesjr^ the thTrest of tie „^tr Jr:?,tn? "'. ""« «>*«• morning «.ved by the D^Ir * ' '^^ "'"' "^^^ The circumstances attending the loss of tl,„ P j were still more horrible t)I,i^J , , ^ Pandora wind was bitterly cold and «^ fi,^ ^^^ witn water. The get below, they Lt'^d'C ^f Tel^g^rheTw ' h '." overboard, or frozen to death^ before mfn^^^"^ rf,^.'' dreadful state they remained until dayb~Jh JS 1 Ihe unhappy crew, disappointed in their honP« of i • ^' endeavoured to launch the boats but fhTI '^' -eased in ice, that they .:Z\.X^ ^^^: ^^ Z mai-ble, and it wa^ impossible to move thl T. .»? eou^e of the night the'wind and sea Ibl^' and the^ I 170 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Danes succeeded in rescuing the people of the Pandora from their perilous situation, but not before twenty-nine had perished from the intense cold. The month of November, 1811, was most disastrous to the Baltic Fleet. The British ships of war had aheady suffered so severely from attempting the dangerous navi- gation of the Northern Seas too late in the year, that the commander-in-chief on the station received orders on no account to delay the departure of the last homeward- bound convoy beyond the 1st of November. In obedience to these instructions, Kear-Admiral Reynolds sailed with a convoy from Hano on that day, having hoisted his broad pendant on board the St. George, of 98 guns, Captain Daniel Oliver Guion; but owing to severe gales he was compelled to put back on three several occasions, and the weather did not permit him finally to leave the anchorage until the 12th of the month. On the 15th the St. George and convoy arrived off the Island of Zealand, where they anchored to wait for a favourable wind, having met with very rough weather in their passage from Hano, and several of the convoy having foundered, without its being possible for the others to render them the least assistance. In the course of the night of the 15th the wind increased to a hurricane, and all hands on board the St. George were summoned to give the ship cable. Before this could be accomplished, the sea poured through the hawse-holes, carried everything away, and rendered it impossible for many of the men to stand to their duty. They were still in the act of veering away the cable, when a large merchant vessel, which had been seen looming through the darkness, drifted down upon them, its hull coming violently in collision with the bows of the St. G«orge, and severing her cables; — one piercing shriek followed, — the merchantman gave a lurch, and the next instant was enoTilfed in the raging billows. ST. OEOROE AND DEFENCE 171 rm^uC^^^l *'"' ^'«''* °f *^^ <'«»rful tragedy The best bower anchor was at once let r^o r*rT^' was tne torce of the wind and sea thnf ;+« w, • . broke off «ja if u i j i, **"^,^®*» ^^at its massive rinff Drolce ott as if it had been only a piece of wire Unon this It was resolved to wear her off the landTnd f W ? e^ht fathonis^wrX'^^ "': '^e^'Z^TZt go, in hopes that it would hold but mITZ J anchnr if »v,o^^ • . ' "^^* ^"^® tte other sW nff r , ""^ I'^P'^ession on the ship, and broke There was but little hope now of saving the shin v.. discovery that the water did notJamo^ZT^yV^ m SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. to approach too close to the shoal. The St. George con- tinued to strike heavily until twelve that night, when her head swung round to the land, and, contrary to all expectations, the water was found to have fallen three feet since eight o'clock in the evening. By ten the next morning (Sunday, the 17th of November) she was clear of all danger, and having fitted up jury-masts, with a rudder supplied from the Cressy, she arrived in safety at Gottenburf about the 2nd of December. Having partially repaired damages. Admiral Rejmolds weighed anchor on the 17th December, and proceeded, in consort with the Defence and Cressy, to convoy a homeward-bound fleet of merchantmen. On the 23rd, another north-westerly gale was encoun- tered, on the coast of Jutland. At midnight, signals were made to wear, but owing to the disabled state of the St. George, this was found impossible. In the hope of bringing her head round to the wind, an anchor was let go, but the hawser, catching under her keel, tore away the temporary rudder, and snapped itself with the strain, and again the ship fell off. The captain gave orders to strUte the lower yards and topmasts, and to lighten the vessel. Between five and six in the morning of the 24th, the report of a gun was heard from the Defence, which was supposed to have got on shore about two miles and a half oflP. A short time after, the St George struck, and drifted towards the shore, and from this moment all hope of saving the ship vanished. Upon examining the well, the carpenter reported ten feet water in the hold ; and this rose so rapidly, that in the space of half an hour it reached the lower deck, driving the people to the main deck. Admiral Reynolds and the captain used every effort to encourage the men to remain steady to their duty, as the only chance of preserving their livea At ten o'clock, the sea swept the ST. GEORGE AND DEFENCR 173 mam deck, so that aJl hands were obliged to seek refuge on the poop. All the boate, except the yawl, had either been stove or washed overboard. As an instance of the obedience and discipline of the crew of the St. Georije three or four men came forward, and a^ked permission to attempt to reach the shore in the yawl: this request wa« at first granted, but a^ they were about to lower her into the sea, It wa« considered impossible that the boat could h^e and the men were directed to return to their posts. Without a murmur, they instantly obeyed; and as if Providence had rewarded this impUcit obedience and rehance upon their officers, two of these men were of the lew that were saved. It is impossible to describe the suffering of the helpless 7^' J^^f °""^b^^«' originally about seven hundred and hfty had been terribly thinned by the severity of the weather, and the surging of the waves, which every instant burst over them. At eight o'clock in the evening of the 24th, fourteen men took the boat and attempted to pull from the wreck but they had not gone many yards when sue upset and her crew perished. The mizen-mast still stood, and orders were given for its being cut away, but a^ no axes could be found, the men were obliged to use their knives to cut the lanyards of the rigging; at this moment, a sea struck the mast, carrying away the poop, and the men who were upon it. As the poop was swept away from the wreck, it bore not only the Uving but the dead. The latter far outnumbered the former, and it became necessary for the general preservation to cast overboard the bodies of their dead comradea But their strength, already weakened by previous suffering, was unequal to the performance of this painful duty; and while thus employed, a sea swept over the poop, scatter- ing the men upon the foaming billows. Five regained It, but were again washed off, and again succeeded in 174 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROTAL NAVY. reaching their former position. Of these, two died, and the other three were washed on shore. The scene on board was one of the most harrowing description. Mingled together were the living, the dying, and the dead. The bodies were piled up by the survivors in rows one above another, as a shelter from the violence of the waves which broke incessantly over them. In the fourth row lay the admiral and his friend Captain Guion ; whilst the groans of the dying, mingling with the roar of the tempest, unnerved the hearts of those who had hitherto shown an unparalleled front to the perils surrounding them. There still remained about two hundred men, who were employed in constructing a raft, as the last chance of saving their lives. After considerable labour, this was effected, by lashing together a topsail yard, and a cross- jack yard, the only spars that remained. Upon this, ten men left the wreck, but the timbers being improperly secured, they broke adrift, and the first sea that came washed five men off; the others gained the shore, one of whom died. According to all accounts, even the few who survived would have perished, had it not been for the humane conduct of the Danes who came to their assistance; these, at the risk of their own lives, succeeded ' i rescuing from the raft the seven exhausted sufferers w. > survived, out of the crew of seven hundred and fifty men. The St. George, as has been already mentioned, was in company with both the Cressy and Defence. Captain Pater, who commanded the former, seeing the impossi- bility of rendering any assistance to the St. George, and the imminent risk to his own ship if he remamed longer on the starboard tack, wore, and escaped the danger. The master of the Defence reported to Captain Atkins that the St. George had gone on shore, and that the 1 ST. OEOROE AND DEFENCE. 175 lied, and arrowing tie dying, survivors violence is friend mingling bearts of mt to the en, who t chance this was a cross- timbers the first s gained survived humane isistance; rescuing survived, ned, was Captain impossi- >rge, and id longer Dger. 0. Atkins that the Creasy had veered and was standing to tho southward, --^t the same time pointing out the great danger tlie ship was m, and recommending that he should follow the example of the Cressy. The captain inquired whether the admiral had made the signal to part company; upon being answered in the negative, he replied, ' I will never desert my admiral in the hour of danger and distress/ At about six o'clock a.m., the hands were turned up to wear ship, but bf^fore this could be accomplished she struck, the sea made o, breach over her, and washed several mer overljoard. The raptiim g ve orders to fire minute guns, and cut away th»' masts. Five or six guns only had been fired before tney broke adrift, so that it was impossible to fire any more; but providentially these had been heard by the look-out men on shore, to whose assistance may be attnbuted the preservation of the few lives that were saved. The waves swept over the vessel, forcing numbers of the crew down the hatchways, the guns and other heavy articles had broken loose, killing some, breaking the arms and legs of others, whose agonizing cries served only to add to the horrors of a scene scarcely within the power of description. The captain at this time stood on the poop, holding on only by a howitzer that was lashed before the mizen- mast, the officers and crew clinging to other parts of the wreck. The boats were all stove, except the pinnace, in which about twenty men had collected, when a sea, break- ing over the wreck, washed her overboard, capsized her, and all perished. Ancrlxr sea struck the Defence with such excessive violence as to lift a spare anchor from its berth, and throw it up on end, killing in its fall upon the forecastle about thirty men. The booms were washed away, and with 176 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. them nearly one hundred men, who were clinging to the different spara The following account of the escape of one of her crew is so interesting, that it has been thought better to leave it as nearly as possible in his own words, than to alter it for the sake of brevity: — ' I got on one side of the booms that were floating among the rest of the wreck. At that time every man except two, John Piatt and Ralph Teasel, two of the men who were saved, were washed off. Myself and several more were at the same time swept off the mizen-top. I then made the best of my way from one spar to another, until I got on one side of the booms. At this time about forty men regained their position upon the booms, when another sea washed all off except four. I got on the booms a second time, and spoke to John Brown, and told him I thought we were approaching the shore. There were then about twenty men on them, but when we reached the shore there were only six left. * Two Danes on the beach came to our assistance ; my foot got jammed in amongst the small spars, and my comrades, seeing that I was unable to get off the raft, were coming to my help, when the Danes made signs to them to be quiet. One Dane made three attempts before he succeeded in reaching the raft, and the third time he was nearly exhausted ; he managed to get hold of my foot, and wrenched it out, and carried me on shore. I was then taken up to a shed to wait for some carts which were coming for us, most of us being unable to walk. In about ten minutes a number of gentlemen arrived on horseback, and some carts came down upon the beach. We were then placed in them, and driven to a small village called" Shelton. On the road the man who drove the cart spoke to a woman, and asked her if she had any liquor. She replied by drawing a bottle ■•♦"•"IH^-W-o***;,!,,^*!,,^^ ST. GEORGE AND DEFENCR 177 from her pocket, and made each of us taJce a dram, which 1 believe wa^ in a great measure the saving of our lives We soon arrived at the houses in the village, where we were stripped and put to bed, and treated by the in- habitants with the greatest hospitality and kindness. When I awoke, I found another seaman had been placed in the same bed with me; he had come on shore some time after myself upon a piece of wreck. He said just as he reached the shore the poop and forecastle were capsized, and not a man to be seen, except a few upon pieces of wreck. In the evening, a gentleman who spoke English came to our bedside, and told us that an oflicer had been brought up to the house. He also told us that there was another ship on shore to the southward ot us, which appeared to be a three-decker, lying with her stern on shore. We knew directly it could be no other than the St. George. * He inquired if we were able to get up, and go and look at the body of the officer, and see if we knew him We answered, Yes, and, with the assistance of the people, went into the barn, and recognised our captain. We then returned to bed again, bemg too exhausted to stand The gentleman told us that medical assistance could not be procured that night, but that we should have every nounshment the house could afford. He then took his leave, promising that he would return in the morning when we might be better able to speak to him. * He accordingly came in the morning, and inquired what force our ship was. * We told him a 74-gun ship, with a company of 600 men. Upon our inquiring if any more of our shipmates had reached the shore, he answered. No; and we returned most hearty thanks to the Almighty for our deliverance. * On Sunday, the 29th, we put our captain into a coffin, and buried him in Shelton Churchyard, with two seamen alongside of him. i3 178 SHIPWBECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. ' It was some time, through the bitterness of the cold and the bruises we had received, before we were able to walk about. As soon as we had gained sufficient strength, we went down to the beach, where we saw, scattered for about two miles along the beach, the wreck of the Defence, but not a corpse was to be seen. We supposed they had drifted away to the southward and westward, a strong current setting that way. "^his opinion was in a great measure confirmed by seeing our officers' things sold, and other articles belonging to the ship, six miles to the southward of where we were cast away, when we went to join the few who were saved from the St. George. On the 13th January, our captain was taken up again, and carried to Rinkum Church, and placed in a vault with the honours of war.' Such was the unhappy fate of the St. George and Defence; only six men from the latter ship being saved, out of a crew of 600. Two days afterwards, when the gale had abated, a Danish boat, with two of the English sailors, went on board the St. George to bring away the corpses of the admiral and others, but they found the decks had been entirely swept away. Nothing could exceed the hospitality and kindness with which the Danes treated the few who were thrown upon their shore. Nor was the Danish government backward in generosity. The dead were buried with military honours, and the survivors were sent to England without exchange! The following letter from Major General Tellequist,*, given in his own language, sufficiently shows the deep* commiseration felt by the Danish government, as well as by himself, for the lamentable catastrophe which befel the St. George and Defence. ' Eandus, the 2l8t of January, 1812. * Sir,— Though the grievous misfortune which has happened his great Britannic Majesty's ships of war ST. GEOBGE AND DEFENCE. f the cold )re able to t strength, ittered for ;k of the ! supposed estward, a n was in a as' things , six miles , when we !t. George, up again, n a vault 5orge and ing saved, n the gale 3 English away the !bund the ing could rhich the oon their kward in 7 honours, exchange, ["ellequist,, the deep as well as lich befel 7, 1812. ^hich has 179 3 of war on the Danish coast perhaps abeady may be known to your Excellency; nevertheless, whereas the opposite case may be possible, I will not omit hereby to make vou acquamted with the sorrowful accident, a^uring you that 1 am very compassionating. ;The 24th of last month, in the night, the English ships of the hne, St. George and Defence, are splitted upon the western coast of Jutland, and the violent waves made it impossible to bring the wretched crews any assistance. From both ships are saved but thirteen persons, who are cast on shore by the sea with goods of wreck. Some of them are sick, and at present under care. A part of the dead bodies are driven to land, and inteired with as much ceremony as the circumstances would admit. * AU possible pains have been taken to find out the bodies of the officers, in order to show them mUitary honours, by the obsequies upon the churchyard. 'Two bodies of officers were found, and buried with mihtaiy honours. Among these was the body of Captain Atkms, commanding the Defence, which is deposited in a church till I receive the further ordaining from mv most gracious sovereign. 'I complain much that the body of Admiral Reynolds has not yet been found, for all the pains which are taken on this purpose. 'Agreeably to the charitable sensibility of the Danish nation, the inhabitants have been very grieved to see the English warriors in such a distress, without bemg able to assist them; and I am very sorry, Sir, that I cannot give your Excellency of this accident an account less sorrowful * With great esteem, I remain. Sir, ' &c. &c. &c., „ ^ 'Tellequist. 10 Orovemor Maxirice.' 180 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. The body of Rear Admiral Reynolds was found a few da-ys after the date of the above letter, and deposited with military honours near that of Captain Atkins, in Rmkum Church. The surviving officers and men of the St. George were tried by a court-martial at Sheemess, and were acquitted of all blame with reference to the loss of that vessel. With respect to the loss of the Defence, the court was of opinion that she was lost by getting on shore on the western coast of Jutland, in company with his Majesty's late ship St. George, in consequence of the noble and heroic determination of the captain to stay to the last by his admh-al, at a moment of extreme danger and distress, conduct which, in the opinion of the court, will reflect immortal honour on the memory of Captam Atkins. Rear Admiral Reynolds was an officer of considerable experience, and had distinguished himself on several occasions previous to his melancholy fate on board the St. George. In the year 1797, he commanded the Amazon, a 36- gun> frigate, and was cruizing on the 13th of January off Ushant, in company with the Indefatigable, Captain Sir Edward Pellew, when a large ship was descried, steering under easy sail for France. This was a little after twelve o'clock at noon; chase was immediately given, and at four in the afternoon, the stranger was discovered to be a French two-decker, the Droits de I'Homme, of 74 guns. She had on board, exclusive of her crew of 700 men, about 1050 troops, which, with 50 English prisoners' made 1800 souls. At a little past five o'clock, the Indefatigable closed with the enemy and began the action; this had lasted about an hour, when the Indefatigable unavoidably shot ahead, on which the Amazon took her place and nobly 'Vir- ,„ J M rl.^k**.« •■ ST. GEORGE AND DEFENCE. X81 continued the battle. The Indefatigable, having in the attack, the British ships placing themselves one on ea^h quarter of their opponent. A continued fire was kept up for upwards of five hours, when they found it absolutely necessaiy to sheer oflf, in order to secure their ma«ts Dunng the action the sea is described as having run so high, that the men on the mam decks of the frigates were up to their middles in water. As soon as the masts were secured, the attack was again resumed, and notwith- st^ding the crews of both ships were almost exhausted with thenr exertions, it was prolonged for five hours more when late in the night, the fire ceased on both sides! Ihe Amazon had now nearly three feet of water in the hold, and was in other respects most severely damaged The enemy had suffered stfll more; her foremast was shot away, and the main and mizen-masts left tottering the decks being strewed by the dead and dying board the Indefatigable reported breakers a-head, and the loss ot all three vessels appeared almost inevitable The Indefatigable was then close under the starboard quarter of the Droits de I'Homme, and the Amazon as near to her on the larboard bow. The Indefatigable was fortunate enough to avoid the danger by being able to make sail to the southward, and she escaped When daylight broke, a terrible spectacle was pre- sented. The Droits de rHomme, had drifted towLds the land— broadside on-a tremendous surf beating over r -.w ' r''^''''' ""^ *^^ ^"^^"^^ ^^ ^ precarious, notwithstanding every effort was made by her officers and crew to work her off shore, all proved unavailing ajQd she struck the ground. The ship^s company, with the exception of six men, gained the shore, which proved to be Audierne Bay, where they were all made prisoners 182 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. The melancholy fate of the Droits de rHomme is described in James's Ifaval History. Already 900 souls had perished, when the fourth night came with renewed horrors, — 'weak, distracted, and wanting everything,' says one of the prisoners, a British officer, in his nar- rative, • we envied the fate of those whose lifeless corpses no longer needed sustenance. The sense of hunger was ahready lost, but a parching thirst consumed our vitals.' .... * Almost lost to a sense of himianity, we no longer looked with pity on those who were the speedy fore- runners of our own fate, and a consultation took place, to sacrifice some one to be food to the remainder. The die was going to be cast, when the welcome sight of a man-of-war brig renewed our hopes. A cutter speedily followed, and both anchored at a short distance from the wreck. They then sent their boats to us, and by means of large rafts, about 150, out of nearly 400 who attempted it, were saved by the brig that evening; 380 were left to endure another night's misery, — ^when, dreadful to relate, about one half were found dead next morning!' HEKO. TT7E have next to relate the still more tragical fate of * » the Hero, of 74 guns. This vessel was lost on the Northern Haacks, under nearly the same circumstances as the Minotaur in the preceding year, but with more fatal results, as every soul on board perished. The following particulars are derived from the ac- counts taken from the evidence of Captain Fanshawe, of the Grasshopper, a 16-gun brig, and from the journals of the day. " HERO. 183 lol .^^'^""PP^" ^^^^ ^^^'^ "^ingo Sound on the 18th of December, 1811, in company with the Hero Jigena, and Prince William, and a convoy of about 120 merchantmen. The weather, at the time they com- menced then: voyage, was stormy and tempestuoua The J^gena and Prince William parted company on the 20th and on the 23rd the Grasshopper wa« left in compan^ with the Hero, and about eighteen merchantmen. At about half-past eleven o'clock. Captain Newman, ot the Hero, made signal to the Grasshopper to come withm hail; conceiving that they were on the SUver Pitts, he directed the course to be altered to the south- west, which was accordingly done. They continued their course until ten o'clock at night, when the signal was made to alter it two points to port. The Grasshopper was at this time going at the rate of nine knots an hour ; four of the convoy had been kept in view up to this period, but were soon lost sight of in the heavy squall of snow and sleet. At half-past three o clock all hands were turned up, when the ship being in broken water, she struck with great violence, and sud- denly fell mto three fathoms water. The best bower was let go, and she was brought to an anchor. In a few mmutes the ship struck again, and continued to do so as long as she remamed in that position. The crew of the Grasshopper had now their attention called to the situation of the Hero. It was first supposed that she was at anchor, although she fired several guns and burnt blue lights, which in about half-an-hour ceased! At daylight it was discovered that both the ships were inside the Northern Haaks, about five or six miles from the Texel Island. About a mUe from the Grasshopper was the Hero— a complete wreck— lying on her starboard broadside. The ship's company were all crowded together upon the poop and forecastle; the sea making clean 184 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. breaches over her. An attempt was made by the crew of the Grasshopper to reach the Hero, but the surf ran so high that it prevented all communication, and they were under the imperious necessity of seeing their com- rades perish, without the slightest possibility of being able to render them assistance. The Hero had hoisted a flag of truce, and fired a gun : in a short time these signals of distress were answered, by several vessels putting out from the Texel to her relief; but owing to the flood-tide, and the strong gale of wind then blowing, the boats were unable to get nearer than three miles. Notwithstanding that those on board the Grasshopper were themselves in a most precarious position, from the repeated shocks the ship had sustained by striking against the ground, their attention was completely diverted from themselves, in their anxiety for the fate of the Hero. The waves burst with relentless fury over the doomed vessel, every moment snatching a victim from the now almost deserted decks. As the night was approaching, and the weather still continued boisterous, Captain Fanshawe, having taken the opinion of the officers, judged that there was no other alternative for saving the lives of his crew than by sur- rendering to the enemy. At four o'clock the cable was cut, and they made sail for the Holder Point, where they surrendered to the Dutch Vice- Admiral, De Wintner. The Hero went to pieces during the night : in the morning not a vestige of her was to be seen. Every exertion was made by the Dutch squadron to save the crew, but the weather was so stormy, that all their efforts proved abortive, and thus every soul on board perished. In the year 1 798, Captain Newman had distinguished himself by a most gallant action which he fought off the HEBO. 185 1 the crew e surf ran , and they iheir com- '■ of being red a gun : answered, :el to her ;rong gale )le to get aashopper , from the "^ striking ompletely r the fate fury over a victim ither still ng taken 1 no other a by sur- cable was lere they atner. : in the . Every save the all their m board ttguished t off the coafit of Ireland. He was then in command of the Mermaid 32-gun frigate, and was cruising in concert with the Revolutionnaire, of 38 guns, Captain Twysden, and the Kangaroo, gun-brig, commanded by Captain Brace. On the 15th October, when near Black Cod Bay, two very large French frigates were seen and pur- sued, but they were lost sight of during the night The next morning, however, the Mermaid and Kangaroo made out one of the Frenchmen, and the Kaiigaroo came up with her the same afternoon, but wa« speedily disabled by the heavy fire of her opponent, and com- pelled to drop astern. The Mermaid kept on in chase and engaged the French vessel, which proved to be the Loire, 46-gun frigate, on the morning of the 17th October. Early in the action the French attempted to boaid, but were frustrated by the skilful handUng of the Memaid, which enabled her to close within pistol-shot of the Loire, when the latter's foretop-mast was soon shot away, and the fire from her great guns nearly silenced, though a continuous storm of musketry was still kept up from her decks. Upon attempting to rake her opponent, the Mermaid's mizen-mast unfortunately went by the board, so that she fell off, and the mamtop- mast almost instantly followed. By this time the rigging of the English frigate was completely cut to pieces, and her boats destroyed ; she was also makmg a great deal of water, having received several shots between wmd and water In this crippled condition, Captam Newman had no other alternative but to discontinue the action This was done without any attempt on the part of the Loire to renew the engagement, the French being no doubt only too glad to get rid of her spirited antagonist, though she was only half the size of their own vessel. On the following day the Loire fell in with the Anson and Kangaroo, and surrendered to the British flag. 186 f SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Subsequently Captain Newman was appointed to the Loire, having the proud satisfaction of commanding the vessel in whose capture he had so gallantly assisted. In 1808, our officer received the command of the unfortunate Hero, which ship, in 18J0, formed part of the squadron under Sir James Saumarez, employed for the protection of commerce in the North Sea. Here he continued in the unpleasant duty of convoying merchant vessels backwards and forwards from Dar's Head, the south entrance of the Great Belt, to Sproe Island.' On the 26th of September, Captain Newman, in company with the Mars, 74, arrived off Yarmouth, having in charge between five and six hundred merchantmen, the largest convoy that had ever saUed from the Baltic. He agam returned to his former station in March, 1811, where he remained untU the latter end of the year,' when his ship was selected with others, to convoy the homeward-bound fleet. On this occasion, he appears to have had sad misgivings as to the prudence of sending ships home at so late a period of the year, through the dangerous navigation of the northern seas. On the day previous to the sailing of the squadron from Wingo Sound, he observed, ' I cannot help thinking that we have been detained too long, and it is well if some of us do not share the fate of the Minotaur.'* His words were but too prophetic ; and, ere long, he and two thou- sand of our brave . defenders perished on a foreign strand. ^ * Naval Chronicle. ted to the anding the listed. nd of the led part of ployed for Here he f irierchant Head, the land. On company having in chantmen, the Baltic, rch, 1811, the year, onvoy the appears to >f Bending trough the n the day m Wingo J that we 3me of us Jis words two thou- a foreign 187 SALDANHA. r\N the 3rd of December, 1811, the east coast of ^ Ireland was visited by one of the most fearful humcanes that had ever been experienced within the memory of the oldest inhabitants.* The damage done to the shipping was immense— for miles the beach was strewed with wrecks; whilst the uprooted trees and roof- less houses marked how destructive had been its effects on the land. It was in this awful night that the Sal- danha was lost, and with her perished the captain, the Hon. W. Pakenham, and every soul on board. One of the finest frigates in the British navy, with a picked crew, and commanded by a young officer of the highest character, she had been ordered to proceed to Cork, on the 19th of November, to relieve the Endymion, off Lough Swilly. Having arrived at the last-mentioned place, she again set sail on Saturday, the 30th of November, in company with the Endymion and Talbot, with the intention of proceeding to the westward. From an account given by an officer on board the Talbot, it appears that a strong breeze sprung up from the northward, which increased during the whole of the following Sunday; but as they had a good offing, no danger was anticipated. On Monday, it blew a tremen- dous gale from the north-west, which continued all Tuesday, and on Wednesday the whole force of the hurricane burst forth. The Talbot had drifted considerably to leeward, and it became necessary for the sake of sea-room to bear up for Lough Swilly. Every moment the danger increased ; to enter the harbour was impossible, while within three Nautical Magasine, vol. ii. 1833. 188 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. f 1 I miles the iron-bound coast waa seen stretching to lee- waid. The order was given to wear ship, but this manoeuvre failed;— destruction appeared inevitable;— a second attempt, however, proved more successful, and they stood on the starboard tack. There was yet a hope *— though a very slight one— of being able to gain the open sea. The hurncane seemed at its height, and all depended upon the strength of the masts, which were bending like reeds beneath the fury of the blast. The night had set in; the darkness was impenetrable; and the voices of the officers, as they issued their orders^ were almost lost in the deafening roar of the elements! About half-past twelve the moon rose, and discovered breakers about a quarter of a mile distant. At this dreadful moment, when every man on board expected instant death, the master applied to the captain to get more sail set, as the only means of saving the ship. His request was instantly complied with, the fore-top sail was set, and the ship cleared the impending danger. Towards morning, the wind veered round to the north and west, the ship weathered the breakers, and succeeded in gaining the open pea. Happy would it have been had the same good-fortune attended the Saldanha. Respecting the circumstances of her fate nothing is known, except that about ten o'clock at night, through the darkness and storm, a light was seen, from the signal-towers, passing rapidly up Lough Swilly, the gale at the time blowing nearly right into the harbour. This light was supposed to be on board the Saldanha; but of course this will for ever remain a mystery; for when daylight broke, the ship was discovered a complete wreck in Ballyna Stokerbay, on the west side of the harbour. The body of poor Captain Pakenham was found two days afterwards. This sad catastrophe was the theme of the following verses by Tom Sheridan: — r. ling to lee- 3, but this kritable; — a jessful, and yet a hope gain the 'ht, and all vhich were ist. )enetrable ; leir orders, 1 elements, discovered At this I expected tain to get ship. His op sail was r. the north succeeded Dd-fortune umstances ibout ten m, a light ipidly up arly right to be on for ever i ship was erbay, on r Captain following SALDANHA. ' Britannia rules the waves." • Heardst thou that dreadful roarP Hark! 'tis bellowed from the caves Where Lough Swilly billow raves, And three hundred British graves Taint the shore. No voice of life was there, 'Tis the dead that raise the cry;— The dead, who heard no prayer. As they sunk in wild despair. Chanting in scorn that boastful air, Where they he. • Bule Britannia,' sung the crew, When the stout Saldanha sailed. And her colours, as they flew. Flung the warrior cross to view. Which in battle to subdue, Ne'er had failed. Bright rose the laughing morn, That mom which sealed her doom;— Dark and sad is her return. And the storm lights faintly burn, As they toss upon her stern, 'Mid the gloom. From the lonely beacon height. As the watchmen gazed around. They saw their flashing light. Drift swift athwart the night; Yet the wind was fair and right For the sound. But no mortal powers shall now That crew and vessel save; They are shrouded as they go, In a hurricane of snow — And the track beneath her prow Is their grave. 189 fc 190 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. There are spirits of the deep. Who, when the warrant 's given, Eise raging from their sleep. On a rock or mountain steep. Or 'mid thunder-clouds, that keep The wrath of Heaven. High the eddying mists are whirl'd, As they rear their giant forms: See their tempest-flags unfurl'd — Fierce they sweep the prostrate world. And the withering lightning 's hurl'd Through the storm. O'er Swilly's rocks they soar, Commissioned watch to keep; — Down, down, with thundering roar, The exulting demons pour — The Saldanha floats no more On the deep! The dreadful hest is past — All is silent as the grave: One shriek is first and last- Scarce a death-sob drunk the blast. As sunk the quivering mast 'Neath the wave. ' Britannia rules the waves' — Oh, vain and impious boast! Go mark, presumptuous slaves. Where He who sinks or saves, Scars the sands with countless graves Bound your coast. Months had passed away, and it was supposed that every living thing had perished with the Saldanha, when, in the month "of August of the following year, a bird was observed in a tree near a gentleman's house in Byrt. A servant who lived in the house mistook it for SALDANHA. 191 a hawk and shot it. When taken up, the bird proved to be a beautiful green parrot, having rouud its neck a THE D^DALUS. TJIS Majesty's ship Daedalus, of 38 guns, Captain J- J. Murray Maxwell, sailed from Spithead on the 27th of January, 1813, m charge of an East Indian convoy and made the island of Ceylon, near the Pointe de Galle, on the 1st of July. She passed Dondra Head at sunset, and then steered east by north during the night, in order to pass well outside the Basses. In the morning, the ship's head was pointed to the north, to get near land, a good look-out being kept both from the deck and mast-head for rocks and breakers. The atmosphere was so clear that a ripple might have been seen upon the water for miles around. Nothing ap- peared to indicate danger; the vessel was supposed to be seven or eight miles off the land, and the master was pomtmg out to Captain Maxwell her position upon the chart, when they felt her take the ground abaft; but so very easily, that many people on board were not aware that she had touched. Signals were immediately made to warn the convoy of their danger, but before the signals could be answered, the Daedalus swung off into deep water. All sail was set, and strong hopes were enter- tained that she was not materially injured; but her frame was too slight to sustain any shock whatever with- out damage, the lower part of the stem-post had given way, occasioning a leak of .mch magnitude, that although 192 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. the pumps were instantly manned, and worked with unceasing energy, the water could not be kept under. A signal was made for the convoy to bring to, and to send all their carpenters on board the Daedalus, which was immediately done, but the combined efforts of the whole were unavailing to reduce the leak. The rudder worked so much that it was found necessary to unship it from the broken part of the stem-post, and bring it alongside; and in order to relieve the ship from the pressure aft, the guns and other heavy things were carried forward ; this, however, was of so little avail, that the guns and anchors were soon thrown overboard. They then pre- pared a sail with oakum and tar, and got it over the stern, in order, by passing it under the keel, to stop the leak. For a time this seemed to have the desired effect, and hopes were entertained that they might be able to carry the ship to Trincomalee ; but these hopes were of short duration. In spite of the indefatigable exertions of every officer and man on board, the water gained upon them till it rose two feet above the orlop-deck. The men had now been working without intermission for eight hours, and their strength and spirits began to fail, when, notwithstanding all their efforts, they saw the water rising to the level of the lower deck. Captain Maxwell now knew that there was not a chance of saving his ship, and he felt the painful neces- sity of leaving her as soon as possible, in order to preserve the lives of his men, whilst there was yet time. He ordered the boys, idlers, and two divisions of seamen and marines to get into the boats which were alongside, while the remaining men were employed at the pumps to keep the ship afloat. The good order and discipline which prevailed during this scene are beyond all praise. * The men behaved,' to use the words of the captain, * as THE D^DALUS. 193 Such conduct is highly creditable, not on]y to the a few mmutes the ship gave a 'urch a„^Tir i ° beam end, remained L'that p^^^t; ^^'^IcTofl ^n. into the htUUterbtr '^^'"'""'^ THE PERSIAN. JHE Persian, an 18-gun brig, commanded by Captain «arf, or that the ship was clr^tT;* ?/T. **" '"""'■ strongcm.entnotme^nwS;„fte''crr tl a! f- 194. SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Persian struck about five o'clock p.m., by running stem on, upon one of the rocks ; she was at the time going at the rate of three or four knots an hour. Everything was (lone to back her oflf ; the water was started, most of the guns thrown overboard, the boats were got out, and the anchors cut from the bows. These measures for the moment, seemed to have the desired effect ; but in pay- ing off, she struck on another rock, and from this it was impossible to move her. Again the same means were resorted to ; the remainder of the guns, spars, &c., were thrown overboard, but to no purpose. The pumps had been kept in active play from the first moment of alarm, but the water gained on them so fast, that there was little hope of the vessel keeping afloat till daylight. The Captain, therefore, resolved to prepare for the worst, and he du-ected a large raft .0 be made for the safety of some of the ship's company. About seven o'clock, two hours after she first struck, Captain Bertram perceived that she was gradually sinking ; he therefore ordered as many of the ship's company as the boats would hold, to get into the two cutters and the jolly-boat ; the cutters were placed under the command of Mr. Norris, the second lieutenant, and Mr. NichoUs, the master ; ana the jolly- boat under the superintendence of the gunner. These boats were ordered to remain near the ship, in case any- thing should occur to render it necessary for the people to return on board. About half-past nine p.m.. Lieutenant Price and the rest of the ship's company, excepting two or three who remained on board with the captain, took their places upon the raft, which was veered by a hawser to leeward of the brig, and directed to remain in that position until the morning. At two o'clock in the morning Captain Bertram, convinced that there was no hope of saving his ship, got into his gig with the men who had THE PERSIAN. 195 s%ed with him, and he had scarcely left the side of th. J^ersian ere sheslinn^^rl ««• +k i n .V ® ®^ ^'^^ tne surf, which washed over them continually ^ Here was a great difficulty to be overcome- th. f. was evidently so insecure that it could norbTl f. already so overcrowded, that it wnnU k„ • • , perilous to add to their freight How ""T"""^ Bert^n did not hesitate totS'ti.J'^ZVZTe ej^nple by fir^t taking four men from the^tfo I own g,g, »d directing the other boats to rt.Sfe fhere^ amongst them in their relative proportionr Hk ' trmt;^:ff^rrt'^''^^^-"^'''^^'>«*^ cnem mto ettect the boats' crews were oblio-pH f^ +1. boatf rKei'<^xr:sr "'''' " ^-^^ *^« iniMrj"! between five and sIk o'clock in the mom- S om^ ^"^ ""^^ ''^* '^°"' *« ^'^t; the neZt f wf fl Dommgo was, m far as they could udge about wenty-five leagues distant, to reach which they fupl^ K2 196 SEiPWRECKS OF THE KOYAL NAVY. One of the cutters ha4 forty-five men on board, the other forty-two, the jolly-boat twenty-two, and the gig fourteen; in all, a hundred and twenty-three persons. The wind increased as the day advanced, and became so violent that it seemed almost by a miracle that the boats were enabled to resist the fury of the storm. In the afternoon the danger increased, and the men were obliged to heave overboard the remainder of their bread and water, and never for an instant could they relax in their efforts to keep the boats free from water. God in His mercy preserved those who had shown such trust in Him, for we can scarcely suppose that such noble acts of humanity, courage, and self-sacrifice as were evinced by these men could arise from other than the highest and holiest principles. Before the evening closed in, they caught a glimpse of the land, but too distant for them to make out what part of the coast it was. The boats were hove to for the night, and a dreary night it was to these poor men. They were without food, almost without clothing, weak from want of nourishment, and exhausted by fatigue; and in this miserable state they awaited the break of day, the rain falling in torrents, and the sea breaking over the boata On the morning of the 28th, they again made sail, and landed the same evening in a small cove of a bay between Vieux Cap Fran9ois and Cap Cabron. Here, to their bitter disappointment, they could get nothing to eat — ^not even a spring of fresh water could be found, — and all the nourishment they had that night was a few limpets, and the rain water that had remained in the holes of the rocks, — sorry fare for men who had been exposed to the inclemency of the weather for two days and two nights, in open boats, without food. However, it was a great thing to be on shore; for THE PERSIAN. 197 many of the people had suffered severely from being so closely stowed m the bottom of the boats, and their limbs had been terribly cramped. They now wisely endea- voured to make themselves as comfortable as circum- stances allowed, by lighting a fire to keep off the insects, and to diy their clothes, and then they composed them- selves to sleep, which they much needed. The next naommg being somewhat refreshed, they started across the bay to a place called Margante, which they reached about eight o clock. Here they found the people well disposed towards them, and they were able to purchase some beef and plantains, and plenty of good water, of which they all gladly partook. The inhabitants informed them that it wa^ probable they might find a vessel at ±'ort riata that could take them to St. Thomas's, that being the nearest port where they were likely to fall in with any of His Majesty's ships. On the 30th of June they departed from Margante, taking with them a pilot! to guide them to Port Plata. In order to ease the boats, Captain Bertram and part of the ship's company walked along the shore. Towards evenmg, the people had gone upwards of twenty miles, and were so exhausted, they were obliged to put into a small bay called Scott's Bay (B. Jl^cossaise), where they came on shore and erected a tent, with the sails of the boats and a few logs of maho- gany. With the help of some turtle, the whole of the ships company were supplied with food; and they remamed on shore till the next morning, when the boats were agam launched, and all the party embarked in them, as there was no way along the beech. They arnved safely at Port Plata at eleven o'clock that night aiid were received with great kindness and humanity Three houses were provided for the men and one for the officers, and everything was done that could alleviate their sufferings. Unfortunately there was no vessel at mmm ■I ' — I . I MMPiManr; 198 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Port Plata large enough to convey them to St. Thomas's. With some difficulty, a boat was procured, in which Lieutenant Price was despatched to Turk's Island, with a letter to the naval officer there, describing the situation of the crew of the Persian, and requesting that assistance might be afforded to Lieutenant Price to enable him to hire a vessel to take the crew to St. Thomas's. Lieutenant Price made a successful voyage, and returned to Port Plata on the 10th of July, with the government schooner S^vift, and a hired sloop. Three days were spent in fitting out these vessels with the necessary stores, and on the evening of the 13th, the ship's company, to the number of 112, embarked in them, and arrived at St. Thomas's on the 22nd. The crew was by this time in a very sickly state ; the crowded state of the ships had engendered a complaint of which the surgeon died an hour after they cast anchor ; and there is little doubt that had they been forty-eight hours longer on their passage, many others would have fallen victims to the same disease. At St. Thomas's the suf- ferers received the care and attention they required, and were sent home to England. We cannot conclude this account without quoting the following passage from the narrative of Captain Bertram : — * I most justly attribute the preservation of the ship's company to very great coolness and persevering exertions of both officers and men, in keeping the boats free from the water they shipped, and their great attention in steering before the sea. I am happy to say that every man behaved with a regularity that is seldom found on similar occasions: in fact, when the little clothing the people had saved, and the remaining bread and water, were from necessity ordered to be thrown overboard, there was not a murmur, — they vied with each other who should obey the order first.' THE PERSIAN. 199 In the year 1808, Captain Bertram, then a lieutenant was appointed to the Emerald, a 36-gun frigate, com- manded by Captain the Honourable Frederick Maitland On the 13th of March, they were off the harbour of Vivero, when a large French schooner was discovered at anchor, under the protection of the batteries. Captain Maitland determined to attempt to capture or destroy her, and accordingly he stood in for the harbour at about five o'clock in the evening. The first fort, which mounted eight 24-pounders, opened on the ship, as did also another fort about a mile higher up, a^ soon as the Ingate came within range. As it was impossible to place the ship m a position to act upon both batteries Captain Maitland ordered Lieutenant Bertram, with a party of marines and seamen, to storm the outer fort whilst he took the ship as near the iuner fort m the water would allow. Mr. Bertram succeeded in driving the enemy from the battery, and spiking the guns: he then made the best of his way by the shore to take possession of the schooner, which had been run upon the rocks He was joined by Mr. Baird, a midshipman, who had been sent with a party for the same purpose. On the road they were met by a part of the schooner's crew consisting of about sixty men. These were speedily ass^ed by the two young officers and their men, and put to flight. Lieutenant Bertram then advanced towards the schooner, which proved to be L'Apropos, of twelve 8-pounder carronades, and he persevered for several ■ hours in his attempts to get her afloat, under a galling fire of musketry from the shore. All his efforts, however were of no avail, as she had gone on shore at high water ; it therefore became necessary to set her on fire, which was done ; and the lieutenant returned with his party to the Emerald. In this gallant exploit, nine men belonging to the 200 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Emerald were killed, and Lieutenant Bertram and several others wounded. Captain Bertram has lately accepted the rank of Ketired Rear- Admiral. THE PENELOPE. WE have now to relate the painful statement of a wreck, which was not only one of the most disas- trous, but the most disgraceful in its consequences, of any that we have had to describe. Unfortunately, the loss of the ship is not the darkest side of the picture ; for the insubordination of the crew of the Penelope in the hour of danger was as fatal to themselves as it was rare in its occurrence. The Penelope, troop-ship. Commander James Gallo- way, sailed from Spithead for Canada on the 31st of March, 1815, and had a favourable passage to the Banks of Newfoundland. Here she fell in with large masses of ice, fogs, and strong south-east winds, so that the captain considered it unsafe to run in for the land until the weather cleared up. On the 24th of April, they made the Island of Mequilon, and at the same time encoun- tered a very heavy gale from the north-west. On the following day they were surrounded with ice, and were frozen up for nearly twelve hours. When the ice gave way, all sail was set, and the ship entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and for the next few days she continued her course in a north-easterly direction, and passed between the Islands of Brion and Magdalen. The frost during this time was so severe, that the furled sails were frozen into a solid body. THE PENELOPE. 201 On the 29th they met with large quantities of field ce, which gave the sea the appearance of one entire sheet of ice, but it was not strong enough to stop the ships way. In the afternoon of that day, the land ab^ut^Cape Rozier, on the coa.t of Lower cLiada, w^ Pln?^ *^^^^*^' *^f '^^^*^^' ""^ "^^^^ moderate, though cloudy; at noon they steered an eastward course, until thevt!l ; ;^ '^/"* '^''' P^^*«' ^^'^ -t «"-«et tK 1 ' T^ '*r ^ f ^'' '^' ^^^' ^^i^h wa. set by the first leutenant and the master, at three or four leagues' distance. At eight o'clock they sounded in seventy-one fathoms- ordered the master to go round the ship, and caution tteT- f *' ^"P ^ ^''^ ^^^^ «-*'-^* the same time desmng him on no account to leave the deck. The captam then sent for the first-lieutenant into his cabin' and was m the act of pointing out to him the supposed situation of the vessel on the chart; the line wa^ at the same moment passing forward for another cast of the lead, when the ship took the ground. 'I cannot describe my feelings,' writes Captain GaJlo- S , A "^Tf^' ^'' ^^^^°^' ^^^ ^ l^^g ti^e, been fZtd 'Tl "^ "^^ '^'''^^' ^y ^^^h*' -^d also afflicted with rheumatic pains and other complaints T was unable to judge correctly of the extent of our danger. The helm was immediately put down, and the sails thrown aback. One boat was then hoisted out to sound and found two and a half fathoms forward, and about three and a half fathoms aft, having six fathoms a nttie on the starboard quarter. All the boats were immediately lowered, and the stream-anchor and cable, with part of the messenger bent on to It, stowed in the pinnace, which, from the strength k3 202 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. of the current, was with great difficulty towed to leeward by the other boats, and dropped into five and a-half fathoms water. On heaving round, the anchor came home, which it continued to do until more than half of the cable was run in, when it held fast, but without altering the posi- tion of the vessel. The captain then gave orders to heave the guns overboard, and cut away the anchors from the bows ; but all these attempts to lighten the vessel were of no avail. The wind, which had been moderate when she first struck, had increased to a gale, and the ship beat with such violence upon the rocks, that it appeared impossible that she could hold together many hours. In this condition they were obliged to remain until daylight, exposed to a cold north-east wind, and a piti- less storm of sleet and snow. The officers did all in their power to sustain the courage of the men, but un- fortunately in many instances without success. Already sjrmptoms of insubordination had exhibited themselves, several had skulked below to their hammocks, where they remained in defiance of every command and en- treaty of their officers. The topmasts were got over the side to shore the ship up, but the motion was so violent that the lashings gave way. At daylight, as the weather did not moderate, and there was no prospect of saving the ship, orders were given to get up the provisions. This, however, had been delayed until it was too late ; the water had risen over the orlop deck, and in a short time gained the lower deck. All that was saved was thirty bags of biscuits, and these so damaged by the salt water, that they were totally unfit for use. The masts were about this time cut away, in order to ease the ship as much as possible ; they fell towards the THE PENELOPE. 203 hZ Z J ^^^Z *? ^'^ '" ^"^^^^ ^ ^«P« *« the shore, crl with a^^^^^ u '•^' '*rV'^^ ^^^^ -- «to-. -d th crew with difficulty gamed the beach tl,» li *'''%"»Ji«™. with very little prospect of saving the lives of the crew, the captain, anxious for the pre™,* vafon of the public dispatches, cntruste,! them toThe g^rser, who, with Captain Moray (aide^e-camp To Lieut OenenU Sir George Murray), in cha,«e of the militorv d«patches, embarked in the life-boat to which TsS fhaXirf .^^ ""^^ ''"^'=™^' - better su^^' SrJ^t r'' ^^"^ "^^ "" *'=y '""^hed the surf, the b«at capsized, and the two office™ swam to the shore with the dispatches tied round their necka „„ u I ""^^'' ™ *''*° «"" off in hopes that she dmtely; and they were obliged to abandon the rope which was fastened to her. '^ defk l^ '"""^ it was i„pos3ibk to stand upon the deck, the sea made a fair breach over the ship and de'^oyeA " '*""'' '""^ '"' protection were The captain being unable from ill health to make any great exertion to save his life, was lowered into 21 pinnace, into which were already crowded as many men 1^ ' t^ "'.''""P* *" f"™ * oon^nunication with ^e shore. The boat had scarcely left the side of the ship before a sea struck and upset her. The caotain SCe^t'iil^^r-r^ "'^ ™y f-ihtrTf rest of the boats crew, who, some by swimming, and tZ^^ "^"r^ """ "^^ '^- -'vod themselvef'frTm destruction. The gig was now the only boat left on 204 SHIPWEECKS OF THE BOYAL NAVY. I board ; she was lowered from the stem, and the first and second lieutenants, mth eighteen men jumped into her. They were all fortunate enough to reach the shore, and some of the men gallantly returned to the vessel, and succeeded in landing about twenty others. Again the gig repaired to the wreck, and took off some more of the crew, but this time she was unfortunately upset in the surf, though no lives were lost. When the men left on the wreck saw themselves thus deprived of the last chance of escape, they raised the most piteous cries for assistance, although they knew that their comrades had no means of affording it. It has been said that * man is a bundle of inconsistencies,' and here was a proof of the assertion. These were in all probability the very men who had betaken themselves to their hammocks a short time before, and had refused to assist in providing for their own safety; they had disobeyed orders, and despised discipline, and now we find them imploring others for that deliverance which they had neglected to provide for themselves. Most of them had been drinking the spirits, and were so stupified that they were incapable of taking advantage of the floating spars and planks to which they might have clung, and so gained the land. By drunkenness the bed of the ocean has been rendered a foul and gloomy chamel house, where the bones of thousands of our fellow-men await the summons of the Archangel's trumpet, when * the sea shall give up her dead.' The reckless seamen, though unprepared for another world, hurry themselves into the presence of their Judge, to meet the drunkard's doom. It has been related that upon one occasion, when the shipwreck of a large packet seemed inevitable, the sailors grew tired of working at the pumps, and shouted *to the spirit-room !' They saw death staring them in the face, ; THE PENELOPE, 205 aad to drown their terror for the moment, they desired to die drunk. A post-captain in the navy who wron board the packet, knowing what would S tie r^tTf they got at the spirit^ took his stand at the d^r rf he man who attempted to enter. The men seeing theS ^Ives defeated, returned to the pumps, and by the Unfortmiate as was the situation of the helpless creatures on the wx^ck of the Penelope, it was only a g^ de^ees more wretched than (hat of the officers and mZ on the shore They had been cast at the base of a sSep mountam, bruised and benumbed by the cold S dothes were actually freezing on thei.^ backhand they were without provisions of any kind. Their fct ^ was to search for wood and kindle fires, which fte^^ -but before they could derive any benefit from the fire, the mtensity of cold had caused many of them extreme suffering; they were frost-bitten in fte htd" ^d feet, and several lost their toes. Some of the people were employed m constructing a tent with brancW trees and blankets, others were searching for provisions the ship. In the evening they fomid about si^ty pieZ pork,-and with this and some melted snow the/S fied the cravmgs of hunger and thirst. Uter in the even- mg sevend casks of wine, which had been stowed inTe ward-room, were washed on shore; but these, wWch might have proved a blessing to all, were seized by a pa^y of the men,_who broke open the casks and dra^Tto • Parliamentary Report, 255 xHawMwi f '. I 206 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. such an excess that they fell asleep, and were found almost frozen to death. During the whole of the day the unhappy men upon the wreck had never ceased supplicating their more fortunate comrades to go to their assistance, but this was impossible; no human effort could save them. As night drew on, their cries were redoubled, and were still heard far above the howling and roaring of the tempest, when darkness had hidden the ill-fated vessel from view. About twelve o'clock three fearful crashes were followed by a still more fearful sound — ^the last agonized shriek of many perishing creatm-es. And then all was hushed. Save the wild and remorseless dash Of billows. Btbon. At daylight, the remains of the Penelope were again visible, but in three separate pieces ; all that were left on board had perished, save one man, who was washed on shore nearly lifeless. The sufferings of these poor wretches must have been awful in the extreme, for their agonies of mind appear to have surpassed those of the body, and to have pro- longed their lives by preventing them falling into the torpor which precedes death from cold. So severe was the frost, that the wreck had the appearance of huge masses of ice ; and on shore nothing but the very large fires that were kept burning could have preserved the existence of the rest of the crew. Upon the ship breaking up, the spirits floated on shore, when there ensued such a scene of tumult iand insubordination as, happily for the honour of the service, seldom occurs in the British navy. The men broke open the casks, and bfefore the officers were aware of it, scarcely a man was to be seen sober. This brought with it its own punishment ; many had drunk to such a THE PENELOPE. 207 degree that they feU lifeless in the snow. The officers then caused the remainder of the rum to be stove excepting a certain quantity placed under their own reared ^"'' ^''fvj^^^ once broken, it is not easily restored. The next day, forty-eight men deserted, after ph^ndenng several of their shipmates, and breaking ZZnl *^^* ^^ ^^^"^ "P- These paid the penalty of their cnmes, for many of them were found dead m the woods by the Canadians. We cannot do better than take up the account which IS thus given by one of the surviving officers — * With the remaining part of the crew the boats were hauled up, which we began to repair the best way we could. Sails were made from a lower and topmast studding-sail, which were fortunately washed ashore; a ca^k of flour wa. also found, a part of which was made Quebec P'^^Parations were made to proceed to ' On the third day a Canadian boat was passing, when the captam ordered her to be detained to proceed to found m the Canadian boat, all the pork that could be found wa^ cooked and served out to the different boats which was a very short allowance for two days ' ^^ *he sixth day of our misery, the weather moderated the boats were launched, and all hands embarked: sixty- eight persons m all, including two women. The wind was favourable but light; with rowing and saUing, we got to Great Fox River that night, at which plac^ we were hospitably entertained with potatoes and Lit at a Canadian hut^ Next morning we sailed for Caspar Bay, and reached Douglas Town in the evening. ' The captain and officers were accommodated at Mr. Johnstons, and the crew lodged at the different huts around the place. After three days' rest, we walked i ! If' i| 208 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. nine miles over the ice to where the transports lay; leaving the sick at Douglas Town. The captain hoisted his pendant on board the Ann, transport, and put a lieutenant in each of the others, and an equal number of men. When the ice broke up, which was seven days after we got on board, we dropped down to Douglas Town, and embarked the sick, one of whom died, and two deserted. The next morning we sailed for Quebec, where we arrived on the 28th, many of us not having a change of clothes of any description.' In concluding the above narrative of the loss of this vessel, we will quote the language of Captain Galloway, who thus deprecates, in strong terms, the disgraceful conduct of the majority of the crew of the Penelope : — * I feel it my duty,' he says, * to state to you the infamous conduct of the whole of the crew, with a very few exceptions. From the time that the ship struck, their behaviour was not in the character of British seamen in general ; they had neither principle nor humanity; some, in consequence, have suffered severely, and several died from drunkenness.' Captain Galloway died in 1846. THE ALCESTE. AT the close of 1815, the Court of Directors of the East India Company having represented to the British Government the impediments thrown in the way of our trade with China, by the impositions practised by the local authorities "at Canton, it was determined to send an embassy to the court of Pekin. Lord Amherst was selected to undertake the mission, THE ALCESTE. 209 and Mr. Henry EUis wa^ appointed secretary to the emDassy. The Alceste a frigate of 46 guns, under the command ot Captam, afterwards Sir Murray MaxweU, was fitted up for the reception of the ambassador and his suite On the 9th of February, 1816, the expedition saUed Irom Spithead, and anived in the China seas about the middle of July foUowing. It is not in our province to give any axjcount of the proceedings of the embassy which have already been so ably described, and are wel known. His excellency, having accomplished the object of his mission, took his departure from China on the 9th of January 1817, arrived at Manilla on the 3rd of Februair and finally sailed from thence in the Alceste, on the 9th ot the same month. Captain MaxweU directed the ship's course to be steered towards the Straits of Caspar, in preference to those of Banca, as aflFording, at that period of the mon- soon, the most convenient and speedy egress from the Ohma seas; and though this passage is not so often t^ken as that of Banca, the Caspar Straits a^Deared by the plans and surveys laid down in the Admir^ty charts as well as in those of the East India Company to be not only wider, but to have a much greater depth of water, and to oflFer fewer difficulties to navigation. Early on the morning of the 18th of Februaiy, they made the Island of Caspar, and in a short time, Pulo Leat, or Middle Island, was descried from the masthead The weather was remaikably fine and clear,— a mild breeze blowing from the north-west, and the surface of the water gently agitated by the current, which perpe- tually sets through the Straits, either to the south-east or south-west, according to the monsoon. The sea, which is usually so clear in these climates, 210 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. had been greatly discoloured that morning by a quantity of fish spawn, a circumstance of not unfrequent occur- rence m those seas; and the navigation being thus rendered more dangerous, unusual precautions were taken for ensuring the safety of the ship. A man was stationed at the foretop-mast head, and others at the fore-yardarms. Captain Maxwell, with the master and other officers, was upon deck, 'steering, under all these guarded circumstances,' (writes an eye-witness,) 'the soundmgs corresponding so exactly with the charts, and following the express line prescribed by all concurring directions, to clear every danger,— and it was the last danger of this sort between us and England,— when the ship, about half-past seven in the morning, struck with a hornd crash on a reef of sunken rocks, and remained immoveable.' ' What my feelings were,' says Captain Maxwell, 'at this momentary transition from a state of perfect security to all the horrors of a shipwreck, I will not venture to depict; but I must acknowledge, it requu-ed whatever mental energy I possessed to control them, and to enable me to give with coolness and firm- ness the necessary orders preparatory to abandoning the ship,— which a very short period of hard working at all the pumps showed the impracticability of saving.' The carpenter very soon reported the water above the tanks in the main hold, and in a few minutes more, over the orlop deck. The quarter boats had been instantly lowered to sound aad reported deep water all round the reef, ten fathoms immediately under the stern, and seventeen about a quaiter of a cable further off,— so that it was but too evident that the preservation of the crew depended solely upon the vessel's remaining fast where she was. The first care of Captain Maxwell was for the safety of Lord Amherst and his suite; the boats were quickly yf a quantity uent occur- being thus itions were A man was bers at the master and sr all these aess,) * the charts, and concurring as the last —when the nek with a [ remained f^s Captain a state of •eck, I will wledge, it to control I and firm- loning the sing at all above the tnore, over I to sound, n fathoms I about a s but too ded solely :he safety e quickly THE ALCESTE. 211 chtlv ir/ T^ ^"^r ^.^^-P^* ^^^'^ ^' h^ the melan- choly satisfaction of seeing the ambassador and all his attendants safely embarked in them wa^Ten?l^f '1^''*'"*^ '^ *^' '"^^"^^^ ^^ ^^^^r Zi T . p ^"^f ' ^'*^ ^ ^^^ ^^ "^^ri^^«> to con- duct them to Pulo Leat, between three and foir miles wat^f' 7\''r "'"' '' "- ^«P^^ t»^-t plenty Ted. '' "^ '"'^^^^ ^"^^^ "^'^^'^ Fo- mo^tTf A' ' Ki "^'''' "^^ ^^° ^^^^ed the««elves t^k ht ^ ^ ^^'^^^ *' "^^^ ^""^^ ^^ the provisions,-a ta^k by no means easy of accomplishment, as the holds Towards the afternoon, the boats returned from the shore, and the men reported that they had had great diffi- culty m landmg his excellency, from the man^ove trees growing out to a considerable distance in the water; and t wa. not until they had pulled three or four miles from ^e place where they first attempted to land that they were enabled to rea^h terra firma They also slated that neither food nor water could be discovered on the island Unpromising as appearances were, there wa^ no alter- native bu to seek shelter on the inhospitable shore Accordingly, every preparation was made, and by eight clock P.M the people were all landed, excepting one division, who remained on board the wreck, with the captam, first lieutenant, and some other officers About midnight, the wind had greatly increased, and the ship became so uneasy from her heeling to windwai-d that fears were entertained for the safety of those on board. To prevent her falling further over, the topmasts were cut away and as the wind became more moderate towards daylight, the ship remained stationary, and all apprehensions were removed. The boats did not return to the wreck till between six and seven o'clock in the 212 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. I i I niomrng, and they brought no better tidings as to the capabilities of the island to furnish food and other neces- saries for the subsistence of so many human beings. A raft had been constructed during the previous day, upon which the small quantity of provisions they had been able to collect, together with some of the bag- gage of the embassy, and clothes and bedding of the officers and men, had been transported to the shore. In the course of the forenoon. Captain Maxwell thought it right to confer with Lord Amherst as to his further movements; he accordingly quitted the wreck, and went on shore. He left the vessel in charge of Mr. Hick, the first lieutenant, with orders that every effort should be made to get at the provisions and the water, and that a boat should remain by the wreck for the safety of the men in case of any emergency. Captain Maxwell reached the shore about half-past eleven A.M., and we may imagine the bitterness of his distress on finding the ambassador, surrounded by his suite, and the officers and men of the Alceste, in the midst of a pestUential salt- water mai-sh. The scene is well described by Mr. McLeod. 'The spot in which our party were situated was sufficiently romantic, but seemed, at the same time, the abode of rum and of havoc. Few of its inhabitants (and among the rest the ambassador) had now more than a shirt or a pair of trousers on. The wreck of books, or, as it was not unaptly termed, 'a literary manure,' was spread about in all directions; whilst parliamentary robes, court dresses, and mandarin habits, intermixed with check shirts and tarry jackets, were hung around in wild con- fusion on every tree.' The situation in which Captain Maxwell was placed was, indeed, a most trying one, and such he felt it to be, for, from the lowest seaman to the ambassador him- THE ALCESTE. 213 as to the ;her neces- eings. 5viou8 day, they had the bag- ng of the jhore. )11 thought lis further and went yir. Hick, :>rt should , and that safety of Maxwell , and we Qding the Beers and itial salt- d. 'The ifficiently abode of d among shirt or a as it was s spread )es, court ih check tvild con- is placed felt it to ior him- self, every one looked to him for reHef and direction in his perilous position. Captain Maxwell was fully com- petent to meet the emergency; and, said he, 'I had the consolation left me, to feel with confidence that all would follow my advice, and abide by my decision, whatever it might be. His first caxe was for the safety of Lord Amherst: and ma short conference with his excellency and Mr Jl-Ilis, the second commissioner, it was arranged that tho embassy should proceed to Batavia in the barge and cutter, with a guard of marines to defend the boats from any attack of the pirates. Mr. Ellis promised that if they amved safely at Batavia, he would himself return m the first vessel that should put off, to the assistance of those who remained on the island. A small quantity of provisions, and nine gallons of water, was all that could be spared from their very scanty store; but at sunset every heart was exhilarated by hope and sympathetic courage, on seeing the ambassador strip and wade oflf to the boats with as much cheerfulness, as it he had stepped into them under a salute. At seven clock, the baxge, under the charge of Lieutenant Moppner, and the cutter, commanded by Mr. Mayne the master, containing in aU forty-seven persons, took their departure for Batavia, accompanied by the dous thoughts and good wishes of their fellow-sufferers who were left to encounter new dangera ' Captain Maxwell's first order was to direct a party to dig in search of water. The men had begun to suffer greatly from thirst, as for the last two days they had had scarcely a pint of water each-one small cask only having been saved from the ship. The next step was to remove their encampment to higher ground, where they could breathe a purer air, and be in greater safety in case of attack. "^ 214 SHIPWRECKS OF THE BOYAL NAVY. In a short time the island presented a scene of bustle and activity strangely at variance with the dreary soli- tude It had exhibited two days before; and the once silent woods resounded with the voices of men, and the strokes of the axe and the hammer. One paxty was employed m cutting a path to the summit of the hill another m removing thither their small stock of provi- sions. A few men were on board the wreck, endea- vouring to save every article that might prove of general use. About midnight, the men who had been employed for so many hours on a most fatiguing and harassing duty and exposed to the burning rays of a vertical sun, began to suffer most painfully from increased thirst, and it las at that moment when they were almost bereft of hope that they experienced one of the many merciful inter- positions of Providence by which the Almighty displays His tender care for His creatures: a plentiful shower of ram fe 1, which the people caught by spreading out their table cloths and clothes; and then, by wringing them a degree of moisture wa« imparted to their parched lips and their hearts were revived, and prepared to hear the joylul news, which was communicated by the diggers soon after midnight, that they had found water in the well, and a small bottle of this most dearly prized treasure was handed to the captain. So great was the excitement ot the people on receiving the announcement, that it became necessary to plant sentries, in order to prevent their rushmg to the well and impeding the work of the diggers. On the morning of the 20th, the captain called all hands together, and pointed out to them the critical nature of their position, and the absolute necessity of their unitmg as one man to overcome the difficulties by which they were surrounded. He reminded them that THE ALCESTE. 215 they were still amenable to the regulations of naval disciphne, and assured them that discipline would be enforced with even greater rigour, if necessaiy, than on board ship; and that in serving out the provisions the stnctest impartiality should be observed, and all should Amherst ''''*'^ *^^ ^"^^^^ ""^ assistance from Lord During this day, the well afforded a pint of water to each man; the water is said to have tasted like milk and water, and when a little rum was added to it, the men persuaded themselves that it resembled milk-punch, and It became a favourite beverage with them The people were employed during the' 20th much in the same manner as on the previous day, but veiy few things could be obtained from the ship, eveiy article of value being under water. On Friday, the 21st, the party stationed on board the wreck observed a number of proahs full of Malays apparently well armed, coming towards them. Being mthout a single weapon of defence, they could only jump into their boats without loss of time, and push for the and The pirates followed closely in pursuit, but re- treated when they saw two boats put out from the shore to the assistance of their comrades. The Malays then returned to the ship and took possession of her In an mstant all was activity and excitement in the little camp Under all the depressing circumstances attending shipwreck, writes Mr. McLeod, 'of hunger, thirst, and atigue, and menaced by a ruthless foe, it was glorious to see the British spirit stanch and unsubdued The order was given for every man to arm himself in the best manner he could, and it was obeyed with the utmost promptitude and alacrity. Rude pike staves were formed by cutting down young trees ; small swords, dirks, knives chisels, and even large spike nails sharpened, were firmly 216 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. fixed to the ends of these poles, and those who could find nothing better hardened the end of the wood in the fire, and bringing it to a sharp point, formed a tolerable weapon. There were, perhaps, a dozen cutlasses; the marines had about thirty muskets and bayonets ; but we could muster no more than seventy-five ball cartridges among the whole party. 'We had fortunately preserved some loose powder, drawn from the upper deck guns after the ship had struck (for the magazines were under water in five minutes,) and the marines, by hammering their buttons round, and by rolling up pieces of broken bottles in cartridges, did their best to supply themselves with a sort of shot that would have some effect at close quarters, and strict orders were given not to throw away a single discharge until sure of their aim. * Mr. Cheffy, the carpenter, and his crew, under the direction of the captain, were busied in forming a sort of abattis by felling trees, and enclosing in a circular shape the ground we occupied; and by interweaving loose branches with the stakes driven in among these, a breastwork was constructed, which afforded us some cover, and must naturally impede the progress of any enemy unsupplied with artillery.' The Malays had taken possession of some rocks, at no great distance from where the crew of the Alceste were encamped, and here they deposited the plunder they had taken from the wreck. It now became necessary for Captain Maxwell to prepare against an attack. With a very small stock of provisions, which, even if husbanded with the greatest care, could last only a few days, he had to contend, with a handful of men, many of them un- armed, against a "host of savages, perhaps the most merciless and inhuman that are to be found in any part of the world. ► could find in the fire, a tolerable lasseu; the ts ; but we cartridges Be powder, 3 ship had ;er in five Bir buttons bottles in 7ea with a le quarters, %y a single under the ig a sort of 3ular shape ving loose g these, a I us some ress of any ocks, at no Iceste were mder they jcessary for c. With a husbanded lys, he had them un- the most a any part THE ALCESTE. 217 t^Jr^r "f "-" •- i!viL-z aanger and outrage so long as life should last. ««verely bruised W the falW t f"' "''" ""^ '«^» dung in his hammock Mwef„tw?.""*\ "?''."'" observed earefaUy fixing wTw '"".-T'' '""'^ ^^^ yam, the blade of a„ old ^r Ont ' ""f '. '"^ he meant to do with it, heri ed 'Youl^ ^'?'* "■"" stand, but if anv of t),» J f iF ' '"">'' ^ <^'"«>' my i>;mmocMrmXm'^' """^"'""^ '^'^•' "^ charge tZZt Z gutd'"'''"" "■"• ""' '"^'^ "'^ m^etrtducTthTS.f '""'■ ''^^'^ *^ -- ference, b„t"^:htt!^oT^^^cr'"'"''';^- KheT.rt;s/tr/r?*^--^■ manner possibl' uXthT it^) Tndt '■'' possession of her by fair means or by force No ^"^ pat service to the crew of the Alceste ^rh\"""- "^ her upperworks and decks evt^V ' 1 ^ """'"^ float up from below nT^ ^''^'^^'''S ^^^^y^nt could up irom Delow and be more eas ly laid hold nf The ship continued to bum d-irino- fVp J2, ? °*- (Kmng tne night, ana the 218 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. flames, as they darted from her side, shed a ruddy glare upon the wild scenery around, and breaking through the shade of the thick and lofty trees rested upon a land- scape worthy of the pencil of Salvator Rosa. Upon the summit of a hill, and under the spreading branches of the majestic trees, was a rude encampment, formed by the erection of a few wigwams ; whilst here and there, collected together in groups and reclining in different attitudes, were parties of men armed with pikes or cutlasses, in their ragged, unwashed, and unshorn appearance, resembling rather a gang of banditti, than the crew of a British ship of war. It was with the most painful feelings that both officers and men witnessed the gradual destruction of the gallant ship, which had been their home for so many months. No one but a sailor can understand the devotion with which a brother sailor regards his ship, and we cannot better describe it than in the words of Captain Basil Hall:— ' We do truly make the ship our home, and we have no other thoughts of professional duty or of happiness, but what are connected with the vessel in which we swim ; we take a pride in her very looks, as we might in those of a daughter; and bring up her crew to honourable deeds, as we should wish to instruct our sons. The rate of sailing of each ship in a fleet is a siibject of never- ending discussion amongst all classes of officers, midship- men, and crews, every one of whom considers his own individual honour involved in all the ship does or is capable of doing. * This is true almost universally, but it is most strik- ing, no doubt, in Qur first ship, which, like our first love, is supposed to drink up from our opening feelings the richest drops of sentiment, nev«r to be outdone, or even equalled by future attachmenvd. iddy glare rough the n a land- spreading iampment, whilst here jclining in with pikes d unshorn ditti, than )th officers ;he gallant months, otion with we cannot itain Basil d we have happiness, which we e might in tionourable The rate of never- •8, midship- rs his own does or is most strik- r first love, ieelings the le, or even THE ALCESTE. 219 'I owe indeed, much good companionship, and many slin Z ^"''^ ft ^^^^^"^' '^' ^Id I^^^^der must TirXTui'""" ^'^^^ ^^^' ^^^^ ^--' -^ The same feeling, no doubt, existed in the breaat of every man and boy who now stood watching, with pai^- fu interest, the fate of the old ship; all hid beentoo own nri T ? '^^' °^ ^'"^^^^^ '"^^"^ ^^ their own preservation ; but now, in the dead hour of nigh^ thrown upon a strange shore, and surrounded by fno- mies the thought, perhaps, that they might neve7again see their native land or their beloved kindred, S bodinga By degrees the fire became less and less vivid- for an instant, at times, a brighter flame illuminated the sky, throwing up a shower of golden sparks-then all was darkness,-a darkness which was felt by all: for it mou Id. T^n' T"^' ^' ''^'^ «^^ ^'-^ -ve a mouldenng hull,-that thus was severed, perhaps the last link between them and England During the night that followed this sad scene, an incident occurred which, though it occasioned consiker- afterwl^dT ^' *'""'' ^'''"'' ^ '"^''^ "^ amusement A sentry, startled by the approach of a very suspicious coking personage, who was making towards him, levelled his musket and fired. In an instant the whde camp was alive with excitement, supposing that they were a tacked by the savages, when, behold, the enemy turned out to be a large baboon, one of a race that abounded in tlie island. These creatures became very troublesome • tliey were most audacious thif^v^s ^vd pv-r ^ar-^-^ -,- ' L 2 ■ ^ 220 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. several ducks which had been saved from the wreck; till at last the poor birds were so frightened that they left their little enclosure and voluntarily sought for safety and protection amongst the people. From the morning of Sunday, the 23rd, till "Wednes- day, the 26th, the men were busied in saving whatever they could from the hull of the Alceste, and they were fortunate enough to obtain several casks of flour, a few cases of wine, and a cask of beer, besides between fifty and sixty boarding-pikes, and eighteen muskets, all of which proved most acceptable. A second well liad been sunk, which supplied clearer water, and in great abundance, so that they possessed one of the chief necessaries of life in plenty. Everything now wore a more favourable aspect. The Malays had retired behind a little island (called Palo Chalacca, or Misfortune's Isle), about two miles distant; and although they were expected to return speedily with a reinforcement, the crew of the Alceste were better prepared for them. The gunner had been actively employed in forming musket cartridges; and, by melt- ing down some pewter basins and jugs, with a small quantity of lead obtained from the wreck, balls had been cast in clay moulds, which not a little increased their confidence and feeling of security. Under the able command of Captain Maxwell, the greatest regularity and order prevailed amongst the people. Every man appeared happy and contented with his lot ; for each man, from the highest to the lowest, encouraged his neighbour by his own good conduct, whilst he in turn received encouragement from the example of thos© above him. The provisions were served out with the strictest impartiality. * The mode adopted by Captain Maxwell,' (writes Mr. McLeod,) * to make things go as far as possible, was to chop up the THE ALCESTK 221 the wreck; d that they sought for ill Wednes- ig whatever i they were flour, a few jtween fifty ikets, all of lied clearer assessed one spect. The 'called Palo iles distant ; peedily with were better en actively id, by melt- ith a small lis had been reased their laxwell, the mongst the itented with the lowest, od conduct, t from the dsions were * The mode IcLeod,) *to chop up the allowance for the day into small pieces, whether fowls salt beef, pork, or flour, mixing the whole hotch-potch' boilmg them together, and serving out a measure to each publicly and openly, and without any distmction. By these means no nourishment was lost: it could be more equally divided than by any other way; and although necessarily a scanty, it was by no means an unsavoury mess/ Early on Wednesday morning, Lieutenant Hay, who had charge of the boats, observed two pirate proahs near- mg the island, as if to reconnoitre; he immediately made a dash at them, with the barge, cutter, and gig The barge closed with the Malays first, and a desperate con- flict ensued. There was only one musket in the boat which Mr. Hay used to some purpose, for he killed two of the savages with his own hand. In the meantime, the other two boats had come up to the assistance of their comrades. One more pirate was shot dead, and another knocked down with the butt-end of a musket; yet the rest continued to fight with savage ferocity, until, seeing that resistance was fruitless, they jumped into the sea and drowned themselves, choosing to perish rather than yield. During the engagement, an officer who was on the beach observed a canoe, which had been cut away from one of the proahs, drifting not many yards from the spot where he stood; and as he thought the prize worth securing, he entered the water, and swam towards It. He had nearly attained his object, when those who watched him from the shore perceived an enormous shark hovering about. They were almost petrified with horror; anxious to make their friend aware of his danger, yet not daring to call out to warn him, lest a sudden perception of the perils of his situation, and of the proximity of his formidable enemy, should unnerve him, and thus depnve him of the slight chance of escapo 222 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. that remained. Breathless and silent then they stood, and marked the movements of the shark with trembling anxiety. He seemed to be so sure of his prey, that he was in no haste to seize it, but swam leisurely about, crossing and recrossing betwixt the doomed victim and the shore, as if gloating himself, and sharpening his appetite by gazing on the anticipated feast. The officer, too, seemed to be luxuriating in the refreshing coolness of the water, calmly approaching the canoe, happily unconscious of his danger; but the shark followed him closely: his life depended upon a swimmer's stroke, or the whim of a moment. The anxiety of the spectators became agony; but that moment was decisive — ^the swimmer struck out once more — the canoe was gained, and he was saved. Then, and then only, did he become aware of the horrible fate thr.t had threatened him, and of the merciful interposition of Providence in his behalf In the course of this day fourteen proahs and smaller boats were observed standing towards the island, from the Banca side, and every heart bounded with joy in the full aniticipation that it was a party sent by Lord Amherst from Batavia, to their relief. Their joy, how- ever, did not last long, for they soon found that the boats had come only to gather a kind of sea-weed much esteemed by Chinese epicures, who use it, as they do birds' nests, in their soup. Consultations were held that night as to the policy of negotiating with these people, so as to induce them, by promises of reward, to convey part of the crew of the Alceste to Java — the four remaining boats would then be sufficient for the- transport of the rest. But the morning dawn put all such plans to flight, and revealed the true character of the Malays. No sooner did they perceive the wreck, than they started off THE ALCESTE. 223 they stood, trembling 3y, that he rely about, i^ictim and pening his rhe officer, ig coolness e, happily lowed him stroke, or spectators jisive — the '^as gained, are of the le merciful nd smaller land, from joy in the by Lord joy, how- l that the '^eed much IS they do e policy of } them, by ew of the '^ould then to flight, lays. No started off to her and plundered the hull of everything they could carry away. No assistance was to be expected from these rapacious thieves; and as the time had elapsed which was required to bring succour from Batavia, measures were taken to repair the launch and to construct a raft to enable the people to leave the island before their provisions should be completely exhausted. Matters now began to assume a more formidable aspect, for on Saturday, the 1st of March, the Malay force was increased by the arrival of several proahs, who joined in breaking up the remains of the wreck. At daybreak on Sunday, the 2nd, the camp was alarmed, and all were called to arms by the yells of the savages, who, firing their partereroes, and beating their gongs, advanced with about twenty of their heaviest vessels towards the landing-place, and anchored within a cable's length of the shore. After a short deliberation, a boat full of men armed with creeses approached the shore, and was met by a canoe containing an officer and party with a letter from Captain Maxwell, addressed to the chief authority at Minto, stating the situation of the Alceste's crew, and praying that assistance might be sent to them. The officer placed this letter in the hands of the Malays, repeatedly pronounced the word Minto, and showed them a dollar, to intimate that they would be well rewarded if they returned with an answer. They appeaxed to understand the mission, and to be willing to execute it; but, as may be supposed, the service was never performed. Meantime the Malay forces continued to increase; no less than fifty proahs and boats of different sizes were collected, and, on a moderate computation, they had 500 men on board. Their mischievous intentions were too evident; they drew closer and closer to the shore, pre- 224 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. vented the escape of any of the ship's boats, and even had recourse to stratagem in order to gain possession of the much-desired booty. One party declared that all the Malays except themselves were hostile, and urged that they might be allowed to go to the camp to guard the crew of the Alceste. This kind offer was of course refused. *We can trust to ourselves,' was the reply. The plot began to thicken; the odds seemed fearfully against the heroic little band, who, badly armed, and worse provisioned, had to make good their position against a multitude of foes — matchless amongst savages in cunning and cruelty. But in proportion to the imminence of the danger rose the courage of our country- men. Mr. McLeod relates that, in the evening, when Captain Maxwell had assembln], as usual, the men under arms, for the purpose of inspecting them, he addressed them in these words: * My lads, you must all have observed this day, a»s well as myself, the great increase of the enemy's force (for enemies we must now consider them), and the threatening position they have assumed. I have, on various grounds, strong reason to believe they will attack us this night. I do not wish to conceal our real state, because I think there is not a man here who is afraid to face any sort of danger. We are now strongly fenced in, and our position in all respects is so good, that armed as we are, we ought to make a formidable defence even against regular troops; what, then, would be thought of us, if we allowed ourselves to be surprised by a set of naked savages with their spears and their creeses ? ' It is true they have swivels in their boats, but they cannot act here; I, have not observed that they have any matchlocks or muskets; but if they have, so have we! *I do not wish to deceive you as to the means of THE AL(:ESTE. 223 means ot resistance in our power. When we were first thrown together on shore wo were almost defoncoloss. Seventy- five ball-cartridges only could bo mustered; we have now sixteen hundred. They cannot, I believe, send up more than five hundre.l men, but, with two hundred such as now stand around me, I do not fear a thousand-nav fifteen hundred of them! I liave the fullest confi.lence that wo shall beat them. The pikemen standing firm we can give them such a volley of musketry as they will be little prepared for, and when we find they are thrown into confusion, we'll sally out among them, chase them into the water, and ten to one but we secure their vessels Let every man, therefore, be on the alert with his arms m his hands; and should these barbarians this night attempt our hill, I trust we shall convince them that they are dealing with Britons !' This short but spirited appeal had its full effect upon the hearts to which it was addressed. It was answered by three wild hurras, which were taken up by the piquets and outposts, and resounded through the woods. The British cheer struck the savages with terror; they no doubt thought it preceded an attack, and they were observed making signals with lights to some of their tribe behind the islet. The night passed undisturbed, and daylight discovered the pirates in the same position, their force increased by ten proahs, making their number at least six hundred men. The situation of Captain Maxwell and his party became hourly more critical; the provisions could not last long— something must be done— some plan must be decided on. They had but little choice; they must either make a dash at the pirates, and seize their boats, with the certainty of being all butchered should they not succeed,— and the odds were fearfully against them,— or they must maintain their present position, in the hope L3 iMMMfili 226 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. that aid might be sent from Java, in time to save them from a scarcely less horrible fate — the lingering death of famine. Under these depressing circumstances, the spirits of the men never for a moment seemed to flag. True ' hearts of oak,' their courage increased with their diffi- culties, and the prevailing desire amongst them was, to rush upon the enemy and get possession of their boats, or perish in the attempt. But for this day, at least, they were ordered to remain passive ; perhaps in coming to this decision, the wise and brave commander of the party may have remembered another captain who was * in a great strait,' and who said, * Let us fall now into the hands of the Lord, for His mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of man.' The decision, then, was to wait; and the hours rolled on till afternoon, when an officer ascended one of the loftiest trees, and thence he thought he descried a sail at a great distance. The joyful news seemed too good to be true. A signal-man was sent up with a telescope, to sweep the horizon. The eager and intense anxiety that per- vaded the little band, until he could report his observa- tions, may be better imagined than described. At last, he announced that the object was indeed a brig, or a ship, standing towards the island under all sail. The joy was unbounded and overpowering. Men felt as if awaking from some horrible dream ; and, doubtless, many an honest heart was uplifted in thankfulness to the Almighty, for the mercy vouchsafed in delivering them from what had appeared, a few minutes before, to be certain destruction. There remains little more to be told ; the vessel proved to be the Temate, which Lord Amherst had sent to their assistance. The pirates took to flight as soon as they ■ - ^•!«r*v(isMie»«»>e: THE ALCESTE. 227 save them g death of 3 spirits of lag. True their diffi- 3in was, to heir boats, to remain e wise and membered d who said, d, for His ae hand of the hours ded one of descried a seemed too e, to sweep y that per- lis observa- 1. At last, brig, or a sail. The Di felt as if doubtless, kfulness to delivering 3 before, to issel proved ent to their on as they discovered the ship, but not before they had received a volley from the Alceste's people, unfortunately without effect. It was not till Friday, the 7th of March, that all were embarked on board the Temate. They arrived safely at ^atavia on the 9th, and were most kindly received by Lord Amherst, who converted his table into a general mess for the officers, as well as the embassy; comfortable quarters were also provided for the men; and in their present enjoyment they all soon forgot the hardships they had suffered. "^ In conclusion, we will quote the following passage from the pen of Mr. McLeod :_' It is a tribute due to Cap- tarn Maxwell to state (and it is a tribute which all will most cheerfully pay) that, by his judicious arrange- ments, we were preserved from all the horrors of anarchy and confusion. His measures inspired confidence and hope, while his personal example in the hour of danger gave courage and animation to all around him.' Nor ought we to omit the high and well-deserved praise which Captain Maxwell bestowed upon the ship s com- pany in his examination before the court martial. ' I should be trespassing far too long upon the time of this court,' said Captain Maxwell, ' were I to bring all before them whose conduct merited applause ; but I can with great veracity assure the court, that from the cap- tain to the smallest boy, all were animated by the spirit of Britons ; and, whatever the cause was, I ought not to regret having been placed in a position to witness all the noble traits of character this extraordinary occasion called forth; and having seen all my companions in distress fau-ly embarked, I felt in walking oflf to the boat that my heart was lifted up with gratitude to a kind Providence that had watched over us.' Captain Murray Maxwell cQmmenced his naval career MM 228 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. under the auspices of Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, and obtained his first commission as lieutenant in 1796, and was subsequently promoted to the command of the Cyane, in December, 1802. In the following yearh* ,w . > »;, 'inted to the Centaur, and received his post r'-uifnii-iH'.iM on the -ith of August, in the same year. In 1804*, Captain Maxwell distin- guished himself at the capture of Surinam, and for his conduct on that occasion was highly mentioned in the despatches. This officer was constantly employed in the late v/ar, and distinguished himself on so many occasions, that we can only briefly allude to one or two instances where his gallantry was most conspicuous. In 1806, he was appointed to the Alceste, and on the 4th of April, 1808, whilst thiit vessel, in company with the Mercury, Cap- tain James Alexander Gordon, and the Grasshopper, 18-gun sloop, lay at anchor near Cadiz, a large convoy, under the protection of several gun-boats, was seen coming close in shore from the northward. Captain Maxwell determined to attempt their capture, and accordingly, the Alceste and Mercury attacked the gun-boats, whilst the Grasshopper, stationed close to the batteries of Rota, by a well directed fire, succeeded in driving the Spaniards from their guns. The gun-boats being thrown into confusion, the first-lieutenant of the Alceste, Mr. Allen Stewart, and Lieutenant Watkin Owen Pell of the Mercury, volunteered to board the enemy in the boats. They accordingly dashed in among the convoy, boarded and brought out seven tartans from under the very muzzles of the enemy's gims, though supported by several armed boats sent from Cadiz to their assistance. Captain Maxwell was actively employed on the coast of Italy until 1811, when we find him cruizing in the Adriatic, in company with the Active, Captain James THE ALCESTE. 229 lel Hood, , in 1796, id of the I Centaur, f August, ill distin- id for his id in the late v/ar, i, that we 3es where ), he was ril, 1808, ury, Cap- sshopper, 3 convoy, was seen r capture, icked the )se to the Deeded in jun-boats nt of the kin Owen enemy in e convoy, inder the 3orted by listance. the coast ig in the n James Alexander Gonlon, and a 36-gun frigate, the Unit^, Cap- tarn Edward Henry Chamberlain. On the morning of the 28th of November, the little squadron was lying in Port St. George, Island of Lissa, when signals were made that there were three suspicious sail south. The three fngates immediately got under weigh, and on the mommg of the 29th came within sight of the strange vessels, which proved to be the Pauline, a 40-gun frigate, the Pomone, frigate, and 26-gun ship, Persanne. The French commodore, finding the English force greater than he expected, bore up to the north-west, and the Persanne separated, and stood to the north-east. The Unitd was then despatched in cha^e of the Persanne, and the Alceste and Active continued in pursuit of the French frigates In the course of a couple of hours the Alceste com- menced action with the Pomone, but an unlucky shot soon afterwards brought down the main-topmast of the Alceste and she was compelled to drop astern. The Active speedily ranged alongside of the Pomone, and after a spirited conflict the latter ship was compelled to haul down her colours and surrender. The Pauline in the meantime, tacked, and poured her fire into the Alceste, no doubt anticipating an easy victory from her disabled state ; but in this she wa^ dis- appointed, for the fire was returned with such effect that after a warm conflict of two hours and twenty minutes he commodore made off to the westward, which from the crippled state of the Alceste, Captain MaxweU was unable to prevent. In this action the Alceste lost twenty ki led and wounded, the Active thirty-five, and Pomone Wty The gallant captain of the Active had the misfor- tune to lose his leg. and his first lieutenant, William Bate man Dashwood, hadhis right arm shot away: the command therefore fell upon the second lieutenant, George Have who fought the action, until her opponent surrendered ' ■«■ 280 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. In 1813, Captain Maxwell had the misfortune to be wrecked in the Dajdalus, and in 1815 was again re- appointed to the Alceste. On his passage home, after the loss of that vessel, he touched at St. Helena, and had an interview with Napoleon Buonaparte, who, reminding him of the capture of the Pomone, said, ' Vous 6tiez trfes mdchant. Eh bien ! your government must not blame you for the loss of the Alceste, for you have taken one of my frigates.'* Captain Maxwell was nominated a C.B. in 1816, and received the honour of knighthood in 1818. He died in June, 1831. THE DRAKE. THE DRAKE, 10 Gun Brig, under the command of Captain Charles Baker, had been despatched by the commander-in-chief on the Newfoundland station, upon special duty to Halifax. Having accomplished the object of her mission there, she set sail again to return to St. John's, on the morning of Thursday, the 20th of June, 1822. The weather was unusually fine, the wind favourable, and everything pro- mised a short and prosperous voyage. Nothing occurred to retard the progress of the vessel until Sunday morning, when the increasing thickness of the atmosphere betokened the approach of one of those heavy fogs which so frequently hover over the coast of Newfoundland. There are few things more perplexing to the mariner * Marshall's Naval Biography. i t^t.myfV m uKtK sv^vxmerfi im t mmt. 'vniMtt^-iiiaimsm uno to be again re- )me, after I, and had •eminding ous ^tiez must not ave taken 1816, and umand of led by the ion, upon ion there, loming of ither was hing pro- ;he vessel ckness of ) of those i coast of i mariner THE DRAKE. 231 ban to find himself suddenly enveloped in one of these r^'h r^' rV* ^« impenetrable gloom; night and day are both alike, the sails, saturated with the watei^ vapour hang heavily, and flap against the ma«ts with a ad foreboding sound, whilst every heart on board feels more or less oppressed by the atmospheric influ- content But these discomforts are minor evils com- pared with other attendants upon a Newfoundland foa the nan % .T'"'' '^'*' ^" '^^' '^ ^^^^^ precaution on the part of the men on the out-look, the bows of the vessel run across some unfortunate fishing boat- and before a single voice can be raised in wamfng, a sudden ^hoc^ a smothered ciy, a gurgling of the wav^, teuS ^d tale! One moment, and all is silent; the ship pur- sues her course and nc trace is left of the little vessel and her crew, for whom many days and nights wiU anxious love keep watch; but those objects of a mothl^ tenderness and of a wife's affection will never more up herdead.' '" '' ''' "^^^'"^' '''' ' *^^ ^^ «^-" ^^e Would that such calamities were of less frequent occurrence There is one curious characteristic ofTese ogs, which in some degree mitigates the evil of them- they sometimes do not extend beyond a few miles' having the appearance of a huge wall of dense cloud or mist. A vessel, after beating about for hours, will sud- denly emerge from almost total darkness, the clouds break away, and all hearts are gladdened by finding cheraselves once more beneath the rays of the glorious sun Captam Basil Hall gives an amusing instance of such tlTT''- ^^' ^""^^""^ ' ^^^ ^^ ^ from sea towards the coast, enveloped in one of these dense fogs Of course they took it for granted that the light-house and the adjacent land-Halifax included-were likewi.P 232 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. covered with an impenetrable cloud of mist; but it so chanced, by what freak of Dame Nature I know not, that the fog on that day was confined to the deep water, so that we who were in the port could see it at the distance of several miles from the coast, lying on the ocean like a huge stratum of snow, with an abrupt face fronting the shore. * The Cambrian, lost in the midst of this fog-bank, supposing herself to be near land, fired a gun. To this the light-house replied ; and s ^ the ship and the light- house went on pelting away gun for gun during half the day, without seeing one another. * The people at the light-house had no means of com- municating to the frigate, that if she would only stand on a little further, she would disentangle herself from the cloud, in which, like Jupiter Olympus of old, she was wasting her thunder. At last, the captain, hopeless of its clearing up, gave orders to pipe to dinner; but as the weather, in all respects except this abominable haze, was quite fine, and the ship was still in deep water, he directed her to be steered towards the shore, and the lead kept constantly going. As one o'clock approached, he began to feel uneasy, from the water ohoaling, and the light-house guns sounding closer and clostr; but being unwilling to disturb the men at their dinner he resolved to stand on for the remaining ten minutes of the hour. Lo and behold ! however, they had not sailed half a mile further before the flying gib-boom end emerged from the wall of mist, then the bowsprit shot into daylight, and lastly, the ship herself glided out of the cloud into the full blaze of a bright and * sunshine holi- day.' All hands were instantly turned up to make sail; and the men, as they flew on deck, could scarcely believe their senses when they saw behind them the fog-bank right ahe^d the harbour's mouth, with the bold cliffs of mt it so low not, jp water, t at the J on the npt face 6g-bank, To this le light- ing half of com- ily stand elf from old, she hopeless ■; but as ble haze, rater, he and the roached, ing, and 3tr; but nner, he autes of ot sailed om end prit shot ut of the ine holi- ake sail; f believe -bank — cliflfs of THE DRAKE. 233 C^e Sambro on the left-and further still, the ships at their nioonngs with their ensigns and pendants blowing out light and dry in the breeze/ ^ But to return to our sad tale. Towards noon, the weather cleared up for about a quarter of an hour, allow- mg just sufficient time to get a good observation of the ^titude which, according to Captain Baker's reckoning, made their position to be about ninety-one miles from l.ape Race, and fifty-one from Cape St. Mary's They continued to steer east till about six o'clock in the evemng, when the breeze rather freshening, and the ship having run sixty miles since noon, she wa. hauled ott to south-east. The fog was then so dense that the men could not see more than twenty yards beyond the ship, but as Captain Bayers orders were to use the utmost dispatch, he deter- mined to make the best of his way. Every precaution was taken by using the lead, and by keeping a vigilant ook-out from every part of the ship. In this manner they proceeded, carefully feeling the way, until about half-past seven o clock, when the look-out man shouted Breakers ahead! Hard a-starboard !' The ship was instantly hauled to the wind, but not being able to clear the danger on that tack, every effort was made to stay the vessel, but xrom the heavy sea, and whilst in stays her stern took the breakers, and she immediately xCll broadside on, the sea breaking completely over her At the moment the ship struck, every man was on aeck, and there was such a universal feeling of confidence m the commander, that notwithstanding their extreme peni, not the slightest confusion eusued. Captain Baker's hrst ord^r was to cut away the masts, so as to lighten the vessel and perhaps afford means of saving some of the crew. The order was promptly executed, but unhappily without producing the desired result, for in a ff^w te--4t^ \ 234 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. I i 1 the sliip bilged, and the destruction of the whole crew appeared to be inevitable. Captain Baker then ordered the cutter to be launched, but they had scarcely got her over the gangway before she sank. It was a time of terrible anxiety for both officers and men, for, although the rocky shore appeared but a few fathoms distant, it seemed impossible that even the strongest swimmer could stem the raging sea that inter- vened, whilst th« crashing of the masts, the strain of the vessel upon the rocks, and the roar of the waters as they swept over the decks, added to the horrors of the scene. Yet, during this awful period, the crew, to a man, be- haved with the most exemplary patience and fortitude. Each vied with the other for the general good, and when the repeated shocks of the ill-fated vessel upon the rocks warned them that unless some communication was formed with the shore, all must perish, then indeed, was a noble spirit of daring and self-devotion displayed. Several of the crew volunteered to make the hazardous attempt of swimming to the shore, amongst them a man of the name of Lennard was selected, on account of his great strength and expertness as a swimmer. This man, accordingly, having seized a lead line, was lowered into the boiling surf, but the current setting directly against him to the northward, his efforts were unavailing, and with difficulty he was dragged on board again. It might be supposed that Lennard's failure would have damped the spirits of the men, and deterred them from a second attempt. But it seems to have had a contrary effect, and to have stirred them up to*renewed exertion. A consultation was held as to the next steps to be taken. The only hope that remained was in the dingy, (the jolly-boat having been washed away,) when ! whole crew- be launched, igway before officers and i but a few it even the a, that inter- strain of the aters as they >f the scene. a man, be- ad fortitude. 1 good, and 5sel upon the nication was indeed, was played. be hazardous them a man icount of his sad line, was •rent setting efforts were ed on board lilure would terred them have had a ) to*renewed e next steps was in the away,) when THE DRAKE. 233 Turner, the boatswain, a^ brave a fellow a^ ever breathed volunteered to make the attempt. He secured a rope round his body, and was then lowered into the boat. The tackhng was let go, the men gave a cheer, and the boat, with Its occupant, was borne away by the current. '' ^ With intense anxiety the men on the wreck watched the progress of Turner, who had been carried in the boat to within a few feet of the shore ; then the watchers saw It balanced upon the crest of a huge wave, and the next moment it was dashed to pieces upon the rocks; the boatswain, however, retained his presence of mind; he kept hold of the rope when dashed out of the boat, and succeeded m scrambling up the cliflf. In the meantime, the waves were making heavy breaches over the ship; the crew clung by the ropes on the forecastle; each succeeding wave threatened them all with destruction; whUst, at each surge of the vessel, it is related by one of the sufferers, that ' the ship's bell tolled one-the funereal knell of many, and, as we fully expected then, of all, except the boatswain, who, though severely bruised, stood on the shore, and appeared in dl probability to be the only survivor left.' The brig con tmued to beat with great violence for upwards of an hour, when a tremendous sea lifted her quarter over the rock on which she had at first struck, and carried her close to a dry rock, which seemed to offer, for a time at least a refuge from the present danger. The forecastle, which up to this time had been the only sheltered part of the ship, was now abandoned for the poop; and as Captain Baker saw no chance of saving the vessel, he determined to remove the people from her if possible. Calling around him his officers and men, he com- municated to them his intentions, and pointed out the best means of securing their safety. He then nrdpr^.l 236 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. every man to make the best of his way from the wreck to the rock. Now, for the first time, his orders were not promptly obeyed; all the crew to a man refused to leave the wreck unless Captain Baker would precede them. There was a simultaneous burst of feeling that did honour alike to the commander and the men. To the former, in that he had so gained the affection and respect of his people; and to the latter, inasmuch as they knew how to appreciate such an officer. Never was good discipline displayed in a more con- spicuous manner. No argument or entreaty could pre- vail on Captain Baker to change his resolution. He again directed the men to quit the vessel, Imly observ- ing that his life was the least and last consideration. The men, upon hearing this reiterated command, took measures to leave the wreck, but this could not be done without much risk and danger; for, at each successive sea, the wreck surged upon the rock, and then again, as the waves receded, fell baqk. It was therefore necessary to spring from the wreck the moment she was close to the rock, and, unhappily, a few of the men perished in the attempt; amongst these was Lieutenant Stanley, who, being benumbed with cold, was unable to get a finn footing, and was swept away by the current; his com- panions, with every inclination, had not the power to save him ; he struggled for a few moments — was dashed with irresistible force against the rocks, and the recedino- wave engulfed its victim. When he had seen every man clear of the wre k, and not till then, did Captain Baker join his crew. As soon as they had time to look about them, the ship's company perceived that they were on an isolated rock, separated from the mainland by a few fathoms. The re's, rose some feet above the sea, but to their horror riiey perceived that it would be covered at high- 1 the wreck Ts were not 5ed to leave cede them. y that did m. To the and respect they knew . more con- could pre- ution. He □aly observ- Qsideration. mand, took lot be done I successive n again, as e necessary i^as close to perished in anley, who, get a finn t; his com- 3 power to ivas dashed le receding wre^k, and them, the an isolated w fathoms, it to their id at high- THE DRAKE. 287 water It seemed as if they were rescued from one fear- ^J:er^^''%:'''' *^ r ^' ^^ ^ --^ -^1 -" pro- tracted fate. They watched the waters rise inch by Lh around them, appalled by the feeling that those waTers must sooner or later close over them for ever andThI no^mg could save them except the outstreI^;dll' Him who could bid the waves be stayed, and say trthe stormy wmds, be still. Every man is mor7o less courageous under circumstances of danger when it . sht in danl ' T"^" "^"^ ^P™^^ ^^^^ companion- ship m danger, and a courage derived from the fear of shame ; but the test of true valour is a scene like that we have described. Tkere was no room for a dis^ ofl adventitious bravery which often becomes inUitythe thing It .tnves to appear. No man there could repfoach his neighbour if his cheek should blanch and Xl p quiver; all were alike appalled, but the well-reXed mind rose superior to the rest. Such was the cJTw h C;.pt,.n Baker. Although he could not conceal 12 tbTd w tf v"'^ "''^'^^ "" ^^"^'^* hopeless, he con mued with his voice to encourage the timid, and by his arm to support the weak. ^ Still the devoted crew, following the example of their commander, uttered no complaint. They were readv to wis fo b. ? t ""'' 'r^ '^^'^^^' ^^^ ^f ^^y*hing was to be done, it must be done instantly. The boat n:::r;oinf ^^^ -^ ^^^ ^^ *^^ ^^p' --* *« tt nearest pomt opposite the rock, and, watching his opportunity, he ca.t one end of the line across to h compamons. Fortunately it reached the rock, and wa gladly seized, but it proved to K. only long enough to allow of one man holding it on the shore, and another on the rock, at arm's Ipno^i. u ,^„„ i. '• 'I'^o^neron s length, it may be may be imagined with 238 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. what joy this slender means of deliverance was welcomed by all. The tide had made rapid advances ; the waves, as if impatient for their prey, threw the white surf aloft, and dashed over the rock. Would that we could do justice to the noble courage and conduct displayed by the crew of the Drake. Instead of rushing to the rope, as many would have done under similar circumstances, not a man moved until he was commanded to do so by Captain Baker. Had the slightest hesitation appeared on the part of the commander, or any want of presence of mind in the men, a tumultuous rush would have ensued, the rope, held as it was with difficulty by the outstretched hand, would inevitably have been lost in the struggle, and then all would have perished. But good order, good discipline, and good feeling triumphed over every selfish feai and natural instinct of self-preservation, and to the honour of British sailors be it recorded, that each individual man of the crew, before he availed himself of the means of rescue, urged his captain to provide for his own safety first, by leading the way. But Captain Baker turned a deaf ear to every persuasion, and gave but one answer to all — *I will never leave the rock until every soul is safe.' In vain the men redoubled their entreaties that he would go; they were of no avail; the intrepid officer was steadfast in his purpose. There was no time for further discussion or delay. Ons by one the men slipped from the rock upon the rope, and by this assistance forty-four out of fifty succeeded in gaining the opposite shore. Unfortunately, amongst the six who remained, one was a woman. This poor creature, completely prostrate from the sufferings sKe had endured, lay stretched upon the cold rock, almost lifeless. To desert her was impossible; to convey her to the shore seemed equally impossible. Y. IS welcomed ; the waves, ie surf aloft, )ble courage the Drake, would have nan moved >tain Baker, part of the aind in the d, the rope, fcched hand, ruggle, and ood feeling 1 instinct of ih sailors be crew, before I, urged his leading the ar to every all— 'I will ties that he i officer was ) for further lipped from 36 forty-four osite shore, led, one was ostrate from d upon the impossible ; impossible. THE DRAKE. 23.9 Each moment of delay was fraught with destruction A brave fellow, in the generosity of despair, when his turn came to quit the rock, took the woman in his arms grasped the rope, and began the perilous transit. Alas? he was not permitted to gain the desired shore. When he had made about half the distance, the rope parted— not bemg strong enough to sustain the additional weight and strain, it broke; the seaman and his burden were seen but for an instant, and then swallowed up in the foammg eddies. At this moment the people on shore distmctly heard the words, ' Then all hope is gone,' and mdeed, it was so, for thus perished the last means of pre- servation that remained for Captain Baker and those who were with him on the rock. Their communication with the mainland was cut off; the water rose, and the surf increased every moment, alx hope was gone, and tor them a few minutes more must end ' life's lonff voyage.' ° The men on shore tried every means in their power to save them. They tied every handkerchief and available material together to replace the lost rope, but their efforts were fruitless; they could not get length enough to reach the rock. A party was despatched in search of help. They found a farm-house; and while they were m search of a rope, those who stayed to watch the ate ot their loved and respected commander and his three companions, saw wave after wave rise higher and higher. At one moment the sufferers disappeared in the toam and spray; the bravest shuddered, and closed bis eyes on the scene. Again, as spell-bound, he looked • the wave had receded-they still lived, and rose above the waters. Again and again it was thus; but hope grew amter and fainter. We can scarcely bring our narrative to an end; tears moisten our page; but the painful sequel must be told. The fatal billow came at last which bore v.jg^ w.. ^' 240 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. them from time into eternity — all was over. When the party returned from their inland search, not a vestige of the rock, or of those devoted men, was to be seen. And is he dead, whose glorious mind Lifts thine on highP To live in hearts we leave behind, Is not to die. CAMPBEtt. We feel how inadequate have been our efforts to depict the self-devotion of Captain Baker, and the courage and constancy of his crew. The following letter, addressed to Lieutenant Booth, formerly an officer of the Drake, will go farther than any panegyric we can offer, to. display the right feeling of the ship's company, and their just appreciation of their brave and faithful com- mander. ' Sir, — Your being an old officer of ours in a former ship, and being our first lieutenant in H.M. ship Drake, leads us to beg that you will have the goodness to represent to our Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the very high sense of gratitude we, the surviving petty officers and crew of his Majesty's late ship Drake, feel due to the memory of our late much lamented, and most worthy commander, who at the moment he saw death staring him in the face on one side, and the certainty of escape was pointed out to him on the other, most stanchly and frequently refused to attempt procuring his own safety, until every man and boy had been rescued from the impending danger. Indeed, the man- liness and fortitude displayed by the late Captain Baker on the melancholy occasion of our wreck was such as never before was heard of It was not as that of a moment, but his courage was tried for many hours, and his last determination of not crossing from the rock, on which he was every moment in danger of being washed Y. When the a vestige of seen. THE DRAKR 241 lMPBELL. r efforts to r, and the wing letter, ificer of the ?e can offer, aipany, and ithful com- in a former ship Drake, goodness to Admiralty iving petty Drake, feel 1, and most saw death certainty of >ther, most i procuring had been I, the man- tain Baker '^as such as that of a hours, and ^e rock, on ng washed Z/' r ?.f r ^ "T '^-'-^' -f P»»W«> than the evTrto b« h!^ !^r.''^°'! """"^ '»'' ^' conduct ought feJif *t i f "" '"«''*'' estimation by a crew Iho record ot the lion-hearted, generous, and very unexamnlp^ «^ m wh,ch our late noble commander^«Sjts hfein the evening of the 23rd of June.' ' til^^^r ''*'''■ ™ ''^'' "•' *^ -™^S -w of We need not add that their request was comnUed with, and a monument erected to the memoiy of SZ Bake, m the chapel of the Royal Docky Jd atTorts! FURY. thei-:;itrmifs^i7tr.^.^tr' Hecla, and a second vessel was commissioned by Capt^ The vessels beingMly equipped and furnished with the poetical and th. ilT" "'.'""''^ "» """y »■«. tte addition of realty, w" f"nd 1 2f nTr.." ""™''" "^ '"^ P'*etic lamented Captain bX °""™*^ ''''"'"" "' »''« 242 SHIPWRECKS OF THE BOYAL NAVY. provisions and stores for two years, sailed from England on the 16th of May. Their progress had been unex- pectedly slow, from the quantity and magnitude of the ice, which had kept the people constantly employed in heaving, warping, or sawing through it, so that they did not arrive at the entrance of Lancaster Sound until nearly the middle of September. There was no doubt that the more than ordinary difficulties which they encountered in crossing the barrier of ice in Baffin's Bay was owing to a season of very unusual severity; indeed. Captain Parry was of opinion, that but for Phillips's capstan, the Hecla and Fury would have been obliged to winter in the middle of Baffin's Bay. The season was now too far advanced to give any hopes of the ships being able to penetrate to the west- ward, according to their instructions, during the present year; Captain Parry determined, therefore, to push on as far as the present season would permit, and devote the whole of the next summer to the fulfilment of the object of the expedition. It is not our intention to enter into a detailed descrip- tion of the many difficulties which they met in their passage; it is enough to say that their toils were incessant, and nothing but the most unwearied vigilance and perseverance could have prevented the ships being materially damaged by the enormous pressure of the ice. Both officers and men were constantly employed, one time in getting out the boats to tow or cut through the ice, at another, at what is termed * sallying,' or causing the ship to roll, by the men running in a body from side to side, so as to relieve her from the adhesion and friction of the young ice. It sometimes happened, also, that their labour was in vain; for during the night a westerly wind would spring up, and that, combined vnth a strong THE FUEV. tn England 3een unex- ude of the nployed in at they did ound until ,n ordinary ; the barrier ion of very of opinion, Fury would of Baffin's ;o give any to the west- the present to push on d devote the if the object iled descrip- net in their ire incessant, gilance and ships being re of the ice. nployed, one through the >•,' or causing »dy from side I and friction ed, also, that fht a westerly with a strong 243 cirrent would drive the vessels several leagues to eaat ward, hus compelling them to recommence^h ir wo"k On he 27th of September they found themselverL a tolerably open sea, and assisted by a fine working breeze they reached Port Bowen, in Regent's Inlet.^ He Capt^m Paxry determined to make his winter haxbour be ng convinced that it would be safer to remain there than run the nsk of any further attempt at navigation dunng the present year. ^ 'To those who read,' writes Sir Edward Parry ' as well as those who describe, the account of a winter p^^ed m these regions can no longer be expected to afford the interest of novelty it once possessed; more especilSy in a station already delmeated with tolerable geographical precision on our maps, and thus, a. it were, broughLe^ to our firesides at home.' ^ Here it may be perhaps asked, why tell a thrice-told btfn!:; 4^' '"''"" ^""""^ *^^* ^^ ^^^° «« «fte^ trod before? The answer is, we are not only writing for the nfonnation of the general reader, but also for the seaman m the hope that these examples may afford encourage- ment to him, If ever thrown under similar circumstanfes to those which befel the crews of the Hecla and Fury In a short time, the ships became embedded in ice and m this remote part of the globe were they destined to re- main, in all probability, for nine months, during the greater part of which they would not see the light of the sun lo the seaman, whose happiness is dependent uponu life of excitement and adventure, such a change must be almost insupportable. As far a. the eye could reach, nothing was to be seen but trackless wUds of snow; an awful stillness reigned around; even the indigenous animals had or a time fled; and out of his ship,^wS s the worid to him, not a living creature breathed in this dreaiy desert. In order to procure occupation and M 2 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1^121 125 1^ ^ ^ ^ ... I£ 140 I 2.0 ^ 1.25 II !.4 III 1.6 < 6" ► VI /I /: % ^^J?/ ^> /A '^W Photographic Sdences Corporation -.->*' 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4303 ) 244 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. amusement for the men, it was necessary to hit upon some expedient to keep their spirits from flagging. This was found, by a proposal from Captain Hoppner, that they should attempt a masquerade, in which both officers and men should join. The happy thought was at once seized upon, the ship's tailor was placed in requisition, admirably dressed characters were enacted, and mirth and merriment rang through the decks of the Hecla. These reunions took place once a month, alternately on board each ship, and not one instance is related of any- thing occurring which could interfere with the regular discipline of the ship, or at aU weaken the respect of the men towards their superiors. But an occupation which was of benefit as much to the mind as to the body, was foimd in the establishment of a school on board each of the ships. These were superintended by Mr. Hooper, in the Hecla, and Mr. Mogg, in the Fury. The men gladly seized this opportunity of instruction which was afforded them, and in many a long winter evening the lower deck was made a scene of rational employment, which was not only a lasting benefit to themselves, but assisted materially in passing away the time, which other- wise would have hung heavily on their hands. "We cannot refrain here from offering a few observa- tions upon the good results of education to the seaman. In the beginning of the present century, and even in a much later date, the majority of our seamen could neither read nor write; in the present day it is quite the reverse We may affirm, without exaggeration, that two-thirds of them are more or less educated. Expe- rience has taught those placed at the head of naval affairs the advantages arising from the improvement of the minds of the "seamen of our navy; every ship has now a seaman schoolmaster, and a well selected librarj^ ; and there is no doubt that the moral effect thus pro- r. to hit upon gging. This )ppner, that both officers was at once requisition, , and mirth ' the Hecla. temately on ated of any- the regular aspect of the nation which le body, was card each of Mr. Hooper, . The men 1 which was evening the employment, smselves, but which other- Is. few observa- :he seaman, and even in Bamen could b is quite the eration, that ited. Expe- sad of naval )rovement of ery ship has cted library; ict thus pro- THE PUKY. 245 duced, adds in no small degree to the preservation of w^a^rj ^"^"^ '^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ *^- ^o-^^ and wellare of a ship's company. In corroboration of the above, we cannot do better than quote the words of Sir Edward Taxry-l^AMI do not speak lightly when I express myXougWer- mmds of the men were owing to a very high de^ee th^ constant yet sober cheerfulnL, the ulteSipSS goo^^^ nJ^'i!? 'JT ""^ '''^" "'^^'^^ *^^ extraordW Le of health which prevailed among us dming wint^ '" .rill ^^^'\«ement before mentioned, varied now and then, a. the days grew longer, by the excitement of kilhng a bear entrapping foxes, or shooting grouse, the men continued to pa.s the winter months. To the office^ higher and more intellectual enjoyments were afforded b^ makmg observations, str.dying astronomy, and witnessino- the brilhant appearance of the Aurora Borealis thm flaJ.es of snow, lying upon painted wood or metal exposed to the sun's direct rays, began to melt. ThS signs of returnmg spring were hailed a^ indications of their approaching dehverance from their winter quarters Towards the middle of June, information waslrou2 that the sea was clear of ice about twenty miles from Port Bowen. On the 12th of July, the ice began to break away, leavmg the ship about one mUe and a quarter from the open sea. All hands were set to work to saw through this baxrier, the men being employed from seven m the morning, till seven in the evening On the 19th after the most incessant labour, which was performed with the greatest cheerfulness and aJacritv Captam Parry had the satisfaction of seeing the two vessels once more floating m their proper element. After a winter of unusual severity ' but of unpr uue- 246 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. dented good health, they sailed out of Port Bowen on the 20th of July, the expedition being in every respect in the most perfect condition, and the season remarkably forward and fine. Pushing over to the west coast of Prince Regent's Inlet, which it was Captain Parry's intention to coast northward and then westward, till they could strike off to the continental shore, the prospect seemed as favourable as could possibly be expected. The season continued unusually warm, and channels of open water always occurred along the shore with particular winds. The ice was entirely detached from the shores, very much broken up, and lighter than they had yet navigated. Proceeding as usual, taking advantage of every open- ing, and sheltering the ships on shore when the ice closed, the Fury, on the 1st of August, was unfortu- nately pressed by the ice in such a manner, while she also took the ground, that her main keel, stem-post, and cutwater were immediately broken, and four pumps were necessary to keep her free. It was now evidently impossible to proceed without heaving the Fury down to repair, her officers and men becoming in a few days almost exhausted with ex- cessive fatigue; and the men's hands so sore from the constant friction of the ropes, that they could hardly, handle them any longer without the use of mittens. The shore being a straight and exposed one, the prin- cipal difficulty consisted in securing the ship from the inroads of the ice during the operation. There was little hope of discovering a harbour for this purpose, and the only alternative was to endeavour to make one. This was done by passing lower cables round grounded masses of ice, and setting them up to anchors buried on the beach, so as to form a basin for the reception of the ships. We have now arrived at the period when the labour T. t Bowen on jvery respect I remarkably est coast of tain Parry's ^ard, till they bhe prospect pected. The nels of open h particular 1 the shores, hey had yet every open- ben the ice svas unfortu- 3r, while she sm-post, and pumps were seed without 5rs and men id with ex- 3 sore from could hardly, nittens. ne, the prin- lip from the jre was little ose, and the one. This nded masses iried on the of the ships. 1 the labour THE FURY. 247 of heaving down the Fury commenced; and, for the better mformation of the reader, we will at once lay before hmi the account of the future proceedings, as related by Sir Edward Pariy.* ^ ' ' The ice remaining quite close, on the 6th every indi- vidual m both ships, with the exception of those at the pumps, waa employed in landing provisions from the Fmy, together with the spars, boats, and everything from off her upper deck. The ice coming in m the afternoon with a degree of pressure which usually attended a northeriy wmd on this coast, twisted the Fury's rudder so forcibly against a ma^ of ice lying under her stem, that It was for some hours in great danger of being damaged and was, indeed, only saved by the efforts of Captom Hoppner and his officers, who, without breaking off the men from their other occupa^..v.s, themselves worked at the ice-saw. ' On the following day, the ice remained as before the work was continued without intermission, and a great quantity of things landed. The two carpenters, Messrs. Pulfer and Fiddis, took the Fury's boats in hand them- selves, their men being required as part of our physical strength in clearing the ship. The armourer was also set to work on the beach in forging bolts for the mar- tmgales of the outriggers. In short, every Uving creature among v.s was somehow or other employed, not even excepting our dogs, which were set to drag up the stores on the beach, so that our little dockyard soon exhibited the most animated scene imaginable. The quickest method of landing casks, and other things not too weighty, was that adopted by Captam Hoppner, and * The loss of the Fury is taken from Sir Edward Parry's Vo^fuge to the North Pole, published by Mr. Murray, whoTas kmdly allowed It to be inserted in this work. 248 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. consisted of a hawser secured to the ship's mainmast head, and set up as tight as possible to the anchor on the beach, — ^the casks being hooked to a block traversing on this as a jack stay, were made to run down with great velocity. By this means, more than two were got on shore for every one handed by the boats ; the latter, however, being constantly employed in addition. The Fury was thus so much lightened in the course of the day, that two pumps were now nearly sufficient to keep her free, and this number continued requisite until she vas hove down. Her spirit room was now entirely clear, and on examination the water was found to be rushing in through two or three holes that happened to be in the ceiling, and which were immediately plugged up. Indeed it was now very evident that nothing but the tightness of the Fury's diagonal ceiling had so long kept her afloat, and that any ship not thus fortified within could not possibly have been kept free by the pumps. 'At night, just as the people were going to rest, the ice began to move to the southward, and soon after came in towards the shore, again endangering the Fury's rudder, and pressing her over on her side to so alarming a degree, as to warn us that it would not be safe to lighten her much more in her present insecure situation. ' One of our bergs also shifted its position by this pressure, so as to weaken our confidence in the pier heads of our intended basin ; and a long * tongue' of one of them, forcing itself under the Hecla's fore-foot, while the drift-ice was also pressing her forcibly from astern, she once more sewed three or four feet forward at low water, and continued to do so, notwithstanding repeated endeavours to hauL her off", for four successive tides, the ice remaining so close, and so much doubled under the ship, as to render it impossible to move her a single inch. * Notwithstanding the state of the ice, however, we did VY. p's mainmast he anchor on )ck traversmg n down with two were got a ; the latter, idition. The course of the icient to keep site until she entirely clear, .0 be rushing i to be in the d up. Indeed .6 tightness of pt her afloat, in could not JO rest, the ice ifter came in i'ury's rudder, aing a degree, ) lighten her 1. ition by this in the pier Dngue' of one re-foot, while ' from astern, rward at low ling repeated ive .tides, the jd under the a single inch, irever, we did THE FURY. 249 not remam idle on the 8th, aJ] hands being employed in unnggmg the Fury, and lai.ding ail hfr spSs saUs booms, boats, and other top weight. ^ ' ^ ' ' The ice still continuing veiy close on the 9th aU hands were employed in attempting, by saws ,u.d axe^o defr the Hecla, which still grounded on tae tongie of ice every tide. After four hours' labour, they suc^eded Z makmg four or five feet of room a^t^m when the 1,^ Wt^dtef '^^ ''''' ton^^e^itf^^n-tfbl torce, and became once more afloat. We then aot on dnl . f "^s men m our tier^ during the heaving down ; stmck our topmasts, which would be require7i fv^i^d -f 7^'" ' ^^'' ^ ^^^^' continued t^XT every individual m some preparation or other. ^^ rhese being entirely completed at an eaxly hour in the afternoon, we ventured to go on with the landing of the coals and provisions from the Fury, preferring to run the nsk which would thus be incurred, to the lo W Zct' 'Z T ^^ *'^ — Pli«h-nt of otptTent object. As It very opportunely happened, however the external ice slackened to the distance of about a h^d^ed yaxds outside of us on the morning of the 10th, enabling us by a rnost tedious and laborious operatior^, to c W the ice out of our basin piece by piecJ: The difficly ot this apparently simple process consisted in the heavy pressure having repeatedly doubled one mass undl another, a position in which it requires great power to Xof'Z'be" '' *'^ '''^''' ^-^^^^ - -^^ *^e ' Our next business wa^ to tighten the cables sufficiently by means of purchases, and to finish the floating of thern Tft! !vTru ^""^ ^^' *^" P^°«^ ^^f^r« described. Alter this had been completed, the ships had only a few teet m length, and nothing in breadth to spaxe, but we m3 250 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. had now great hopes of going on with our work with increased confidence and security. The Fury, which was placed inside, had something less than eighteen feet at low water ; the Hecla lay in four fathoms, the bottom being strewed with large and small fragments of lime- stone. 'While thus employed in securing the ships, the smoothness of the water enabled us to see, in some degree, the nature of the Fury's damage ; and it may be conceived how much pain it occasioned us, plainly to discover that both the stem-post and fore-foot were broken and turned up on one side with the pressure. We could also perceive, as far as we were able to see along the main-keel, that it was much torn, and we had therefore reason to conclude that the damage would altogether prove very serious. We also discovered that several feet of the Hecla's false keel were torn away abreast of the fore chains, in consequence of her grounding forward so frequently. * The ships being now as well secured as our means permitted from the immediate danger of ice, the clearing of the Fury went on with increased confidence, though greater alacrity was impossible, for nothing could exceed the spirit and zealous activity of every individual, and as things had turned out, the ice had not obliged us to wait a moment except at the actual times of its pressure. Being favoured with fine weather, we continued our work very quickly, so that on the 12th every cask was landed, and also the powder ; and the spare sails and clothing put on board the Hecla. * On the 13th, we found that a mass of heavy ice which had been agroundwith the Fury, had now floated along- side of her at high water, still further contracting her already narrow basin, and leaving the ship no room for turning round. At the next high water, therefore, we THE FURY. 251 got a purchase on it, and hove it out of the way so that at night it drifted oflf altogether. ^' ' The coals and preserved meats were the principal things now remaining on board the Fury, and these we contmued la^ddng by eveiy method we^could de^e a^ the most expeditious. The tide rose so considembly at night, new moon occurring within an hour of high water that we were much afraid of our bergs floating ; the^ remaned firm ho.ever, even though the ice cl^e in with so much force as to break one of our haiid-ma^s, a fir spar of twelve inches in diameter. As the high tides a^d the lightening of the Fuiy, now gave usS- dr.o iTtf.r''' ^'' "^^^PP^"^ *^« "^^Iders, we did so, aiid laid them upon the smaU berg aatem of us, for feax of their being damaged by any pressure of the 'Early on the morning of the 14th, the ice slax^kening a httle in our neighbourhood, we took advantage of it ^bles which had stretched and yielded considerably by the late pressure. It was weU that we did so, for in the course of this day we were several times interrupted in om- work by the ice coming with a tremendous strain on the north cables, the wind blowing strong from the N.NW and the whole 'pack' outside of us setting rapid y to the southward. Indeed, notwithstanding the recent tightenmg and re-adjustment of the cabW the bight was pressed in so much, as to force the Fury agamst the berg astern of her, twice in the course of the day. Mr. Waller, who was in the hold the second time that this occurred, reported that the coals about the keelson were moved by it, imparting the sensation of part of the ship s bottom falling down ; and one of the men at work there was so strongly impressed with that beUef that he thought it high time to make a spring for the 252 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. hatchway. From this circumstance, it seemed more probable that the main keel had received some serious damage near the middle of the ship. * From this trial of the efficacy of our means of security, it was plain that the Fury could not possibly be hove down under circumstances of such frequent and imminent risk. I therefore directed a fourth anchor, with two additional cables, to be disposed, with the hope of breaking some of the force of the ice, by its offering a more oblique resistance than the other, and thus by degrees turning the direction of the pressure from the ships. We had scarcely com- pleted this new defence, when the largest floe we had seen since leaving Port Bowen came sweeping along the shore, having a motion to the southward of not less than a mile and a half an hour, threatened to overturn it, and would certainly have dislodged it from its situa- tion but from the cable recently attached to it. * A second similar occurrence took place with a smaller mass of ice about midnight, and near the top of an unusually high spring tide, which seemed ready to float away every security from us. For three hours about the time of this high water, our situation was a most critical one, for had the bergs, or, indeed, any one of them, been carried away or broken, both ships must inevitably have been driven on shore by the very next mass of ice that should come in. Happily, however, they did not suffer any further material disturbance, and the main body keeping at a short distance from the land until the tide Jiad fallen, the bergs seemed to be once more firmly resting on the ground. The only mischief, therefore, occasioned by this disturbance was the slackening of our cables by the alteration in the position of the several grounded masses, and the consequent necessity of em- ploying more time, which nothing but absolute necessity THE FURY. 253 work buTS^r™* "' " *";'*' "'"y fo' «"'«''»i''g »« work but exciting no veiy pleasant sensations when w« considered what progress we might have b™'n Xg had we been at hberty to pursue our object. ^ that Dr Neir i''"^^'<',r f'^" "^ '«« '"» *« southward, tw ? ? ' ° "*"'^'^ * eonsiderable distance in m Shore to the utmost extent of his view We t^v advantage of this open water to send the W^for the Furys ironwork, left at the former station; ?or h^,^!h XLl* T''^' eve^rthing with reference to the uWe savmg of time; and itwould have occupied both skps companies more than a whole day to carrv the thmgs round by land. ^ ^ '"^ „„'*^',^!r "^"^ """Pletely cleared at ao early hour on the 16th we were all busUy employed in 'wfndW the ship, and m preparing the outriggers, sho^s n» cha^s, and additional rigging. Though ^^eT^; selected the time of high water for fuming aTS round we had scaxcely a foot of space for dofng it ^d ndeed, as ,t was, her forefoot touched the groLd ^d loosened the broken part of the wood so muchtlo enable us to pull it up with ropes, when we Cd the fe^ents to consist of the whole of the gripe a^ m„ J of the 'cutwater.' The strong breeze contSg a^dT sea nsmg as the open water increased in extent, our beZ were sadly washed and wasted; eveiy hour piducing^ sensible and senous diminution in their bulk As^w 254 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. ever, the main body of ice still kept off, we were in hopes, now that our preparations were so near completed, we should have been enabled in a few hours to see the extent of the damage, and repair it suflBciently to allow us to proceed. * In the evening we received the Fury's crew on board the Hecla, every arrangement and regulation having been previously made for their personal comfort, and for the preservation of cleanliness, ventilation, and dry warmth throughout the ship. The officers of the Fury, by their own choice, pitched a tent on shore, for messing and sleeping in, as our accommodation for two sets of officers was necessarily confined. On the 17th, when every preparation was completed, the cables were found again so slack, by the wasting of the bergs, in conse- quence of the continued sea, and possibly also in part by the masses being moved somewhat in shore, that we were obliged to occupy several hours in putting them to rights, as we should soon require all our strength at the purchases. One berg also had, at the last low water, fallen over on its side, in consequence of its substance being undermined by the sea, and the cable surrounding it was thus forced so low under water as no longer to affijrd protection from the ice should it again come in. In tightening the cables, we found it to have the effect of bringing the bergs in towards the shore, still further contracting our narrow basin; but anything was better than suffering them to go adrift. ' This work being finished at ten P.M., the people were allowed three hours' rest only, it being necessary to heave the ship down at, or near, high water, as there was not sufficient depth to allow her to take her distance at any other time of tide. Every preparation being made, at three A.M., on the 18th, we began to heave her down on the larboard side; but when the purchases we were in ir completed, rs to see the itly to allow rew on board ition having 3omfort, and ion, and dry of the Fury, , for messing two sets of 17th, when I were found gs, in conse- also in port lore, that we ting them to ength at the it low water, ts substance surrounding 10 longer to lin come in. ,ve the effect still further 5 was better people were necessary to ter, as there her distance ation being to heave her e purchases THE FURY. 255 were nearly a-block, we found that the strops under the Hecla 8 bottom, as well as some of the Fuiy's shore-faats W s retched or yielded so much, that 7hey could no; bnng the keel out of water within three or four feet We immediately eased her up again, and readjusted every- hing a« requisite, hauling her further in shore th/n before by keeping a considerable keel upon her, so as to make less depth of water necessary; and we were then in the act of once moro heaving her down, when a snow storm came on, and blew with such violence off the land as to raise a considerable sea The ships had now so' r' W.''^ "" *' '*'"^^ '^' ^^«^ ^^^ "^"«^> and even to make tihe lower mast of the Fuiy bend in spite of the shores. We were, therefore, most unwillingly compelled o desist until the sea should go down, keeping evei^Ung ready to recommence the instant we could possibly do so with safety. The officers and men were now UteLi; so harassed and fatigued as to be scarcely capable of further exertion without some rest; and on this and one or two other occasions, I noticed more than a single instance of stupor amountmg to a certain degree of failure in intel- lect rendering the individual so affected quite unable at first to comprehend the meaning of an order, though still as willing as ever to obey it. It was, therefore, perhaps a fortunate necessity which produced the inter' mission of labour which the strength of every individual seemed to require. ' The gale rather increasing than otherwise, during the whole day and night of the 18th, had, on the following mommg, when the wind and sea stiU continued un- abated, so destroyed the bergs on which our sole depen- dence was placed, that they no longer remained aground at low water: the cables haxl again become slack about them, and the basin we had taken so much pains in terming had now lost aJl its defences, at least during a 256 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. portion of every tide. It will be plain, too, if I have succeeded in giving a distinct description of our situation, that independently of the security of the ships, there was now nothing left to seaward by which the Hecla could be held out in that direction while heaving the Fury down, so that our preparations in this way were no longer available. ' After a night of most anxious consideration, and con- sultation with Captain Hoppner, who was now my mess- mate in the Hecla, it appeared but too plain that, should the ice again come in, neither ship could any longer be secured from driving on shore. It was therefore deter- mined instantly to prepare the Hecla for sea, making her thoroughly effective in every respect; so that we might at least push her out into comparative safety among the ice, when it closed again, taking every person on board her ; securing the Fury in the best manner we could, and returning to her the instant we were able to do so, to endeavour to get her out, and to carry her to some place of security for heaving down. If, after the Hecla was ready, time should still be allowed us, it was proposed immediately to put into the Fury all that was requisite, or at least as much as she could safely carry, and towing her out into the ice, to try the effect of * foldering' the leaks, by sails under those parts of her keel which we knew to be damaged, until some more effectual means could be resorted to. ' Having communicated to the assembled officers and ships' companies my views and intentions, and moreover given them to understand that I hoped to see the Hecla's top-gallant yards across before we slept, we commenced our work, and such was the hearty good-will and in- defatigable energy with which it was carried on, that by midnight the whole was accomplished, and a bower- anchor and cable carried out in the offing, for the double THE FURY. 257 some more puiTK)8e of hauling out the Hecla when requisite, and as some security to the Fury if we were obliged to leave ner. ihe people were once more quite exhausted by these exertions, especially those belonging to the Fury Who had never thoroughly recovered their first fatigues' Ihe ice being barely in sight, we were enabled to enjoy seven hours of undisturbed rest; but the wind becoming light, and afterwards shifting to the N.N.E. we had reason to expect the ice would soon close the shore, and were therefore most anxious to continue our work On the 20th, therefore, the re-loading of the Fury commenced with recruited strength and spirits, such articles being in the first place selected for putting on board as were essentially requisite for her re-equipment; lor It was my full determination, could we succeed in completing this, not to wait even for rigging a topmast, or getting a lower yard up, in the event of the ice coming m, but to tow her out among the ice, and there put everything sufficiently to rights for carrying her to some place of security. At the same time, the end of the sea- cable was taken on board the Fury, by way of oflfering some resistance to the ice, which was now more plainly seen, though still about five miles distant. A few hands were also spared, consisting chiefly of two or three con- valescents and some of the officers, to thrum a sail for putting under the Fury's keel; for we were very anxious to relieve the men at the pumps, which constantly required the labour of eight to twelve hands to keep her free. In the course of the day several heavy masses 01 ice came drifting by with a breeze from the north- east, which is here about two points upon the land, and made a considerable swell. One mass came in contact with our bergs, which, though only held bv the cables, brought It up in time to prevent mischief' By a long ana hard day's labour the people not ffoinjr to r till 258 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. two o'clock on the morning of the 21st, we got about fifty tons weight of coals and provisions on board the Fury, which, in case of necessity, we considered sufl&cient to give her stability. 'While we were thus employed, the ice, though evidently inclined to come in, did not approach us much ; and it may be conceived with what anxiety we longed to be allowed one more day's labour, on which the ultimate saving of the ship might almost be con- sidered as depending. Having hauled the ships out a little from the shore, and prepared the Hecla for casting by a spring at a moment's notice, all the people except those at the pumps were sent to rest, which, however, they had not enjoyed for two hours, when, at four a.m. on the 21st, another heavy mass coming violently in contact with the bergs and cables, threatened to sweep away every remaining security. Our situation, with this additional strain, — the mass which had disturbed us fixing itself upon the weather-cable, and an increasing wind and swell setting considerably on the shore, — became more and more precarious; and indeed, under circumstances as critical as can well be imagined, nothing but the urgency and importance of the object we had in view — that of saving the Fury, if she was to be saved — could have prevented my making sail, and keeping the Hecla under way till matters mended. More hawsers were run out, however, and enabled us still to hold out : and after six hours of disturbed rest, all hands were again set to work to get the Fury's anchors, cables, rudaer, and spars on board, these things being absolutely necessary for her equipment, should we be able to get her out. At two P.M. the crews were called on board to dinner, which they had not finished, when several not very large masses of ice drove along the shore near us at a quick rate, and two or three successively coming in violent contact either with the Hecla or the bergs to which VY. ye got about 9n board the 3red sufficient ice, though approach us i,t anxiety we )ur, on which most be con- 3 ships out a la for casting >eople except ich, however, I, at four A.M. violently in ned to sweep ion, with this disturbed us m increasing the shore, — ideed, under ined, nothing id we had in be saved — 1 keeping the ilore hawsers to hold out : hands were ;hors, cables, ag absolutely ale to get her on board to I several not re near us at y coming in ergs to which THE FURY. 259 she was attached, convinced me that very little additional pressure would tear eveiything away, and drive both ships on shore. I saw that the moment had arrived when the Hecla could no longer be kept in her present situation with the smallest chance of safety, and there- fore immediately got under sail, despatching Captain Hoppner, with every individual, except a few for working the ship, to continue getting the things on board the J^ury, while the Hecla stood off and on. It was a quarter past three p.m. when we cast off, the wind then blowing fresh from the north-east, or about two points on the land, which caused some surf on the beach OapUm Hoppner had scarcely been an hour on board the Fury, and was busily engaged in getting the anchors and cables on board, when we observed some large pieces of not very heavy ice closing in with the land near her- and at twenty minutes after the Hecla had cast off I was informed, by signal, that the Fuiy was on shore. Makmg a tack m shore, but not being able, even under a press of canvas, to get very near her, owing to a strong southerly current which prevailed within a mile or two of the land, I perceived that she had been apparently driven up the beach by two or three of the grounded masses forcing her onwards before them, and these, as well as the ship, seemed now so firmly aground, as entirely to block her in on the seaward side. We 'also observed that the bergs outside of her had been torn away^and set adrift by the ice. As the navigating of the Hecla with only ten men on board required constant attention and care, I could not at this time with pro- priety leave the ship to go on board the Fury This however, I the less regretted, as Captain Hoppner was thoroughly acquainted with all my views and intentions and I felt confident that, under his direction, nothing would be left undone to endeavour to sa-vfi thp s>^ir> I therefore, directed him by telegraph, ' if he thought r6o SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. V' I nothing could be done at present, to return on board with all hands until the wind changed ;' for this alone, as far as I could see the state of the Fury, seemed to offer the smallest chance of clearing the shore, so as to enable us to proceed with our work, or to attempt hauling the ship off the ground. * About seven P.M., Captain Hoppner returned to the Hecla, accompanied by all hands, except an officer with a party at the pumps, reporting to me that the Fury had been forced aground by the ice pressing on the masses lying near her, and bringing home, if not break- ing, the seaward anchor, so that the ship was soon found to have swerved from two to three feet fore and aft. The several masses of ice had, moreover, so disposed them- selves, as almost to surround her on every side where there was sufficient depth of water for hauling her off. With the ship thus situated, and masses of heavy ice constantly coining in, it was Captain Hoppner's decided opinion, as well as that of Lieutenants Austin and Boss, that to have laid out another anchor to seaward would have only been to expose it to the same danger as there was reason to suppose had been incurred with the other, without the most distant hope of doing any service, especially as the ship had been driven on shore, by a most unfortunate coincidence, just as the tide was begin- ning to fall. Indeed, in the present state of the Fury, nothing short of chopping and sawing up a part of the ice under her stem could by any possibility have effected her release, even if she had been already afloat. Under such circumstances, hopeless as, for the time, every seaman will allow them to have been. Captain Hoppner judiciously determined to return for the present, as directed by my telegraphic communication; but being anxious to keep the ship free from water as long as possible, he left an officer and a small party of men to 7Y. im on board >r this alone, y, seemed to lore, so QB to empt hauling burned to the Q officer with hat the Fury 3sing on the if not break- is soon found md aft. The jposed them- i^ side where luling her off. of heavy ice •ner's decided tin and Ross, award would nger as there ith the other, any service, L shore, by a ie was begin- of the Fury, a part of the have effected loat. Under time, every ain Hoppner I present, as i; but being r as long as ty of men to THE FURY. 261 tTon tuldT^^'* '^: P"^P'' ^^ ^^"^ «« ^ communica- tion could be kept up between the Hecla and the shore dIi^Z'^"''\ ^:T''' ^"""^^^^ *^^ practicability of retumlvTvf ^"^"^' ^^^^ ^'"'^ ^^P*^ Hoppner's return, that the current swept the Hecla a long way to the southward while hoisting up the boats, and that more Z.Z f ^^ towards the shore, I was under the painful necessity of recalling the party at the pumps rather than incur the risk, now an inevitable one,^of Mr Sf./'T!J: f '^ '^'"^ ^*"^^*^^^- Accordingly etht^otT !.' ^""^ '^ '^' P^^P^^' ^^°^^ '- boardl^ water m the well, and four pumps being requisite to keep her free. In three hours after Mr. Bird's return more than half a mile of closely packed ice llite'^d between the Fury and the open water in which we were beating, and before the morning this barrier had increased to four or five mUes in breadth. 'We carried a press of canvas all night, with a fresh breeze from the north, to enable us to keep abreast of the Fuiy, which, on account of the strong southeriv current, we could only do by beatmg at some distance from the land. The breadth of the ice inshore continued increasing dunng the day, but we could see no end to the water m which we were beating, either to the south- ward or eastward. Advantage was taken of the little eisure now allowed us to let the people mend and wash their clothes which they had soaxcely had a moment to do for the last three weeks. We also completed the thrumniing of a second sail for putting under the Fury's keel, whenever we should be enabled to haul her off the shore. It fell quite calm in the evening, when the breadth of the ice inshore had increased to six or seven mi es. We did not, during the day, perceive any current settmg to the southward, but in the course of the night 262 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. i. we were drifted four or five leagues to the south-westward, in which situation we had a distinct view of a large extent of land, which had before been seen for the first time by some of our gentlemen, who walked from where the Fury lay. This land trends very much to the west- ward, a little beyond the Fury Point, the name by which I have distinguished that headland, nefxr which we had attempted to heave the Fury down, ani which is very near the southern part of the coast seen in the year 1819. It then sweeps round into a large bay, formed by a long, low beach, several miles in extent, afterwards joining higher land, and running in a south-easterly direction to a point which terminated our view of it in that quarter, and which bore from us S. 68° W., distant six or seven leagues. This headland I named Cape Garry, after my worthy friend, Nicholas Garry, Esq., one of the most active members of the Hudson's Bay Company, and a gentleman most warmly interested in everything con- nected with northern discovery. The whole of the bay, which I named after my much esteemed friend, Francis Cresswell, Esq., as well as the land to the southward, was free from ice for several miles; and to the southward and eastward scarcely any was to be seen ; while a dark water-sky indicated a perfectly navigable sea in that direction; but between us and the Fury there was a compact body of ice eight or nine miles in breadth. Had we now been at liberty to take advantage of the favour- able prospect before us, I have little doubt we could, without much difficulty, have made considerable progress. * A southerly breeze enabling us to regain our northing, we ran along the margin of the ice, but were led so much to the eastward by it, that we could approach the ship no nearer than before during the whole day. She appeared to us, at this distance, to have a much greater heel than when the people left her, which made us still THE PURV. 263 more anxious to get near her. A south-west wind gave us hopes of the ice setting off from the land, bnttt p:^ duced no good effect during the whole of the 2«h. We therefore beat again t» the southward, to see if we couJd manage to get in with the land ai^ywhere ablut Th!" sh^^o thebay; but this wa« now in.S:^S.tlt lavour. Ihe latitude at noon was 72° 34' S7" makin„ our d^tance from the Fuiy twelve mile^ whiit^f following morning had increased to at le^^t five leles The wmd, however, now gradually drew round to the westward, giving „s hopes of a cha4e,and we conlued to p^y about the margin of the ice in constant iJS^^ or takmg advantage of any opening that mightl^^ the dTlT K """"" '^ '*'^'™^8 "^ *" the^cour.?.^ tbe day, that by seven p.m. we had nearly reached » Chanel of clear water which kept open for s^en or StofthlF"'"'^^ .^-/-AentlT^^: aght of the Fuiy, and the wind becoming light Caotain Hoppner and myself left the Hecla in tw! boatsCS reached the ship at half-past nine, or about threetlt",^ time of tide for amvmg to examine her condition We found her heeling so much outward, that her mam-channels were within a foot of the water; and thi Urge floe-piece which was still alongside of he^, seemed alone to support her below water, and to premier felhng over stjl more considerably The ship had bZ forced much farther up the beach than befo«, ::d ^ reached higher than the lower-deck beams. On looW^^ down the stem-post, which, seen against the lighf coloured ground, and in shoal water, was now very djs 264 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. I: u\ 1 * f I ;€ ^ it V' s tinctly visible, we found that she had pushed the stones at the bottom up before her, and that the broken keel, stem-post, and dead wood had, by the recent pressure, been more damaged and turned up than before. She 'appeared principally to hang upon the ground abreast the gangway, where, at high water, the depth was eleven feet alongside her keel; forward and aft, from thirteen to sixteen feet; so that at low tide, allowing the usual fall of five or six feet, she would be lying in a depth of from five to ten feet only. The first hour's inspection of the Fury's condition too plainly assured me, that, exposed as she was, and forcibly pressed up upon an open and stony beach, her holds full of water, and the damage of her hull, to all appearance and in aU probability, more considerable than before, without any adequate means of hauling her off to the seaward, or securing her from the incursions of the ice, every endeavour of ours to get her off, or if got off, to float her to any known place of safety, would at once be utterly hopeless in itself, and productive of extreme risk of our remaining ship. * Being anxious, however, in a case of so much im- portance, to avail myself of the judgment and experience of others, I directed Captain Hoppner, in conjunction with Lieutenants Austin and Sherer, and Mr. Pulfer, carpenter, being the officers who accompanied me to the Fury, to hold a survey upon her, and to report their opinions to me. And to prevent the possibility of the officers receiving any bias from my own opinion, the order was given to them the moment we arrived on board the Fury. * Captain Hoppner and the other officers, after spending several hours in attentively examining every part of the ship, both within and without, and maturely weighing all the circumstances of her situation, gave it as their opinion that it would be quite impracticable to make her vr. led the stones broken keel, cent pressure, before. She round abreast >th was eleven from thirteen ing the usual in a depth of I inspection of , that, exposed an open and he damage of bability, more iiate means of ; her from the urs to get her >lace of safety, nd productive so much im- nd experience n conjunction i Mr. Pulfer, lied me to the report their sibility of the L opinion, the ve arrived on after spending ry part of the irely weighing ,ve it as their e to make her THE FURY. 265 holds Tbe once '1! % .^l ""' "' ^^ **, and the the carpenter oT tZt ^^^^ ■"J^^'^ ^'- ^'^^l^'. she''.eJrsirrCed:'a:d%tfr:'/^r' do™ twenty day. work, with t^^^^ ^ ^^^^ opin.oMhat . ^.^Z:!-^^,^^; two A.M. I left her, and was followed by Cantain TTnrZ W^ant Austin, and the la^ of th^ ^ in S;":' 'The whole of the Fuiys stores were of necessity left w lMfinT":r°^°r^'^^ every sp^^Ze^^hat we ,»^d find in the Hecla being now absolutely required lor the aoDommodation of our double complement of officer and men, whose cleanliness and health^tu-d only I ! 9. 266 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. be maintained by keeping the decks as clear and well ventilated as our limited space would permit. The spot where the Fury was left is in latitude 72° 42' 30" ; the longitude by chronometers is 91" 60' 05"; the dip of the magnetic needle, 88° 19' 22"; and the variation 129° 25' westerly.' There now remains little more to be told — ^the accident that befel the Fury, the lateness of the season, and the crowded state of the Hecla, deprived Sir Edward Parry of all hopes of being able that season of accomplishing the object for which the expedition had been despatched. Under all these untoward circumstances, he determined to return to England, and on the 2nd of September the crew of the Fury were taken on board the Hecla, the boats hoisted up, the anchor stowed, and the ship's head put to the north-eastward. After a prosperous voyage, the whole of the Hecla and Fury's crews, with but two exceptions, returned in safety to their native country, arriving at Sheemess on the 20th of October, in as good health as when they quitted England eighteen months before. Lieutenant, now Captain Austin has, since these pages were written, been appointed to the command of an expedition in search of Sir John Franklin and his brave companions. Captain Su: Edward Parry at present holds the appoint- ment of Superintendent of the Royal Clarence Victualling Yard, and Haslar Hospital, Portsmouth. Y. sar and well t. The spot 42' 30" ; the 1 the dip of he variation -the accident son, and the iward Parry ccomplishing 1 despatched, e determined jptember the le Hecla, the e ship's head )t' the Hecla , returned in Sheemess on 3 when they since these I command of iklin and his 8 the appoint- ee Victualling 267 THE MAGPIE. niore are „e con«nced of the force of "hf IC a2m ofh-or. ^„ot be e.eeedea e^ L^re^^^o? despatched in search of a piratical Celwht^^ -1 So7l?r«-' - *^ re^'ThttlfTe- the western extremity of the Island. The dav Vrt been extremely sult^. and towards the eve.^. tte schooner lay becahned, awaiting the sprinirup of Ll who^'"''"' '-"T-^ ''■'"' -ly 'hose'Ll alre ciate who have enjoyed its refreshing coolness afterV^ -gmanyhoun beneath the bumifg raysTf f Jo^.^" the^!""!* *'?* °/'f "^ * '^^* ^'''^ ^nmg up from the wes ward and the vessel was standing under reeM maonsad, whole foresaU, and topsail, and jib TowS me the wind shifted to the souL^d, and a smaSXl cloud was observed hovering over the W I^o^^s appearance, as is well known, is often the pre^Zf a p3nr'""''^^"^^-^-'-''^^/b; n2 I 268 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. The lurid vapour did not escape the practised eye of the mate of the watch, who immediately reported the circumstance to Mr. Smith. All hands were turned up, and in a few minutes the schooner was placed in readi- ness to encounter the threatened danger. In the meantime, the cloud had gradually increased in size and density. The slight breeze had died away, and a boding stillness reigned around. Suddenly a rushing, roaring sound was heard, the surface of the water, which a moment before was almost without a ripple, was now covered with one white sheet of foam, the schooner was taken aback ; in vain her commander gave the order to cut away the masts — it was too late, and in less than three minutes from the first burst of the squall, the devoted vessel sunk to rise no more. At this fearful juncture, a vivid flash of lightning darted from the heavens, displaying for a moment, the pale faces of the crew struggling in the water; the wind ceased as suddenly as it had begun, and the ocean, as if unconscious of the fearful tragedy that had so lately been enacted upon its surface, subsided into its former repose. At the moment of the ssel going down, a gunner's mate, of the name of Melux am, struck out and succeeded in reaching a pair of oars that were floating in the water, — to these he clung, and having divested himself of a part of his clothing, he awaited in dreadful anxiety the fate of his companions. Not a sound met his ear, in vain his anxioua gaze endeavoured to pierce the gloom, but the dnrli'tf was too intense. Minutes appeared like hours, and still the awful silence remained unbroken; he felt, and the thought was agony, that out of the twenty-four human beings who had so lately trod the deck of the schooner, he iA.\one was left. This terrible suspense became almost Y. ctised eye of reported the e turned up, ed in readi- lly increased ;d away, and ly a rushing, water, which pie, was now ;he schooner ,ve the order in less than i squall, the tning darted 3nt, the pale r; the wind 3 ocean, as if id so lately to its former Q, a gunner's ad succeeded in the water, iself of a part iety the fate [tiixiotif gaze [1",ri !•».. was and still the sit, and the -four human the schooner, jcame almost THE MAGPIE. 269 beyond the power of endurance, and he already be«an to envy the fate of his companions, when he Cfa voice at no great distance inquiring if there wa. any ono near He answered m the affirmative, and pushing out in the direction from whence the sound proceeded, he reached a boat, to which seven persons were clinging rihe'lr "" ™ ^i^^t^^a^t Smith, the commande; J^o far this was a subject of congratulation; he wa^ no longer alone; but yet the chances of his ultimate prter- vation were as distant m ever. .oZt ^'f 7f^ ^^^ ^""" P^^""^ ^^ *h^ ^ooms of the schooner, had fortunately escaped clear of the sinking vessel, and if the men had waited patiently, was wf enough to have saved them aJl; but the suddennessff the calamity had deprived them of both thought and prudence. Several men had attempted to clii^b in on one 8icie,---the consequence was, the boat heeled over be- came half filled with water, and then turned ktZpe . most; and when Meldrum reached her, he found Tome stretched across the keel and others hanging on by the Matters could not last long in this way, and Mr Smith, seeing the impossibility of any of the party being saved if they continued in their present position endeavoured to bring them to reason, by pointing out the absurdity of their conduct. To the honour of the men they listened with the same respect to their com- mander, a^ if they had been on board the schooner; those on the keel immediately relinquished their hold and succeeded, with the assistance of their comrades, in righting the boat. Two of their number got into her and commenced baling with their hats, whilst the others remained in the water, supporting themselves by the gunwales. ^ 27 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Order being restored, their spirits began to revive, and they entertained hopes of escaping from their present peril ; but this was of short duration, and the suflferings Vvhich they had as yet endured, were nothing in com- parison with what they had now to undergo. The two men had scarcely commenced baling, when the cry was heard of — *A shark ! a shark !' No words can describe the consternation which ensued : it is well known the horror sailors have of these voracious ani- mals, who seem apprised by instinct when their prey is at hand. All order was at an end, the boat again capsized, and the men were left struggling in the waters. The general safety was neglected, and it was every man for himself; no sooner had one got hold of the boat, than he was pushed away by another, and in this fi:uitless contest more than one life was nearly sacrificed. Even in this terrible hour, their commander remained cool and collected ; his voice was still raised in words of encouragement, and as the dreaded enemy did not make its appearance, he again succeeded in persuading them to renew their efforts to clear the boat. The night had passed away — it was about ten o'clock on the morning of the 28th; the baling had . progressed without interrup- tion ; a little more exertion, and the boat would have been cleared, when again was heard the cry of — * The sharks! the sharks!' But this was no false alarm; the boat a second time capsized, and the unhappy men were literally cast amongst a shoal of these terrible monsters. The men, for a few minutes, remained uninjured, but not untouched ; for the sharks actually rubbed against their victims, and, to use the exact words of one of the survivors, ' frequ^tly passed over the boat and between us, whilst resting on the gunwale.' This, however, did not last long; a shriek soon told the fate of one of the men; a shark had seized him by the leg, dyeing the THE MAGPIE. 271 water with his blood; another shriek followed, and another man disappeared. But these facts are almost too horrible to dwell upon- human nature revolts from so terrible a picture; we will theretore hurry over this part of our tale. Smith had witnessed the sufferings of his followers with the deepest distress; and although aware that in all probability he must soon share the same fate, he never tor a moment appeared to think of himself There were but SIX men left, and these he endeavoured to sustain by his example, cheering them on to further exertions Ibey had once more recommenced their labours to clear out the boat, when one of his legs was seized by a shark. Even whilst suffering the most horrible torture he restramed the expression of his feelings, for fear of increasing the alarm of the men. But the powers of his endurance were doomed to be tried to the utmost- another limb was scrunched from his body, and uttering a deep groan, he was about to let go his hold, when he was seized by two of his men, and placed in the stem sheets. Yet when his whole frame was convulsed with agony the energies of his mind remained as strong as ever his own pain was disregarded, he thought only of the pre- servation of his crew. Calling to his side a lad of the name of Wilson, who appeared to be the strongest of the remammg few, he exhorted him, in the event of his surviving, to inform the admiral that he was going to Cape Ontario in search of the pirate when the unfor- tunate accident occurred; 'Tell him,' he continued, 'that my men have done their duty, .and that no blame is attached to them. I have but one favour to a^k, and that is, that he will promote Meldrum to be a gunner.' He then shook each man by the hand, and bade them farewell. By degrees his strength began to fail, 272 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. and at last became so exhausted, that he was unable to speak. He remained in this state until the sun set, when another panic seized the men, from a reappearance of the sharks. The boat gave a lurch and the gallant commander found an end to his sufferings in a watery grave. Thus perished an officer, who, if it had pleased Provi- dence to preserve, would, in all probability, have been one of the brightest ornaments of the service. His character combined the three great qualities which are essential for an officer and a seaman-— courage, coolness, and decision : opportunity only was wanting to display these parts. If he had succeeded in capturing the pirate, promotion would without doubt have followed, and a bright and honourable career have been open to him. But the ways of Providence are inscrutable; it was ordained that he should undergo sufferings from which the bravest would have shrunk with horror. Had he fallen in battle, his name would have been recorded in history. We hope that our feeble efforts to rescue the memory of this brave seaman from sinking into oblivion will not have been in vain, and that his name may find an honourable place with others who have died in the performance of their duty. The death of their commander was sensibly felt by all, for they had long known his kindness and courage, and when his body sank below the waves, their hopes sank also. Mr. Maclean, a mate, and now the commanding officer, took upon himself to direct the efforts of his comrades, and did all that lay in his power to revive their spirits; he assured them that if they once succeeded in righting the boat, that there was every chance of falling in with some vessel. But twenty hours of constant fatigue, hunger, and thirst had made fearful ravages upon the strength of the THE MAGPIK 273 Tt^'^nn^iJf f ™u'^^^^?PP'"^^^^' ^°^ M^^lean could not conceal from himself, that when darkness came on near were further removed than ever. The sharks had for a tune taken their departure, but they miST^um lul TTT-I": ^'^ "'"^ *^^ Wood, aey we™ CS„f th '^^''-'«^/^''- "^-g mother Jttalk Iwo more of the men, either worn out from fatigue or irom their support, and were drowned. The burning sun again set beneath the horizon but a» yet no ,ail had been seen upon the water. AgaL th^ land-breeze parsed over the ocean, but it brought no refreshmg coolness; it only reminded them of the we^ hours that had elapsed since it was so anxiously e^^ J though^i. results were then far different fromlSf; There were but four men left-Maclean, Meldrum (the gunner's mate,) Wilson, and another man. The^ had by then- united efforts, almost managed to clear th^ boat of water, when, about three o'clock in the morning the two latter became delirious, sprung overboard and were either seized by the sharks or droned. It ,^1^; remembered that it wa. Wilson who was selected by poor Smith to convey his tet message to the admiml. Thetwosumvorsfor a time forgot their own sufferings m he homble scene which they had just witnessed; bS this did not last long; their thoughts soon return^ to the necessity of preserving their own livea Thev once more resumed their labours, and, though nearly exhausted, did not desist until the boat was almost dry. They then wii^b T-*"^*:'''.^/^*'™ ""^^y- »°<1- ''^t "^ hope, which had already been vouchsafed to them, and reiicm- N .1 274 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. I bering those words of our beautiful Liturgy: * That it may please Thee to succour, help, and comfort all that are in danger, necessity, or tribulation/ It is said that sometimes the criminal, the night before his execution, forgets the fate that awaits him in a deep and refreshing slumber. These two men, in spite of the horrors they had undergone, fell into a sound sleep, from which they did not awake until the sun was high in the heavens ; when the horrors of their situation broke upon them, rendered doubly painful by the temporary oblivion of the last few hours. The sun darted its scorching rays upon the two solitary beings, who had planted themselves, one in the bows, and the other in the stem of the boat, with neither oars, mast, sail, nor provisions of any kind. In vain they strained their gaze in every direction ; nothing was to be seen but a boundless expanse of waters. Their eyes met, but it needed no words to tell the hopeless despair which was gnawing at their hearts. No longer was the loss of their companions regarded with horror; they envied the fate which had spared them the torture which they themselves were doomed to suffer: — Famine, despair, cold, thirst, and heat had done Their work on them by turns. Byeon. Death at that moment would have been welcome. Hour after hour passed away, but still the boat remained motionless on the waters. Neither spoke; their hearts were too full for utterance: in rapid succession, every thought and action of their lives passed across their minds ; home, kindred, friends, all would be remembered, only again to be banished by the pangs of hunger and thrist. Towards eight o'clock in the morning, the energies of Maclean and his companion had almost sunk under the accumulated load of suffering; it was more in despair VY. rgy: * That it nfort all that B night before bim in a deep in spite of the Qd sleep, from IS high in the >n broke upon orary oblivion le two solitary in the bows, 1 neither oars, In vain they nothing was raters. Their the hopeless s. No longer I with horror; m the torture fer: — Idone elcome. boat remained !; their hearts cession, every 1 across their ! remembered, if hunger and he energies of mk under the )re in despair THE MAGPIK m than with any expectation of success, that they once again cast their eyes around. But this time itwa^ not inylm- a white speck was seen in the distance : both exclaimed,' etZt X ^""^ i^" extravagance of joy wa« no^ equal to their former despair. Still the vessel wa^ several miles distant, and unless those on board kept a vigilant look-out It wa^ more than probable that they would escape observation. ^ Of all the ills to which the human frame is liable, the agony of suspense is the most intolerable. Hope and fear rose alternately in their breasts; at one moment, the ship appeared to be nearing, at another, she seemed fur- ther off than ever. The vessel sped slowly on its com-se, T?r JM uT*'^ "^^^^ '^' ^^' «^^^^^ interminable: ^irst the white canvas was seen, then the dark hull became visible ; but as yet no signs gave token that those on board were aware of their proximity. The brig, for such she now appeared, could not have been above half a mile distant, when she suddenly altered her course. In vain they both hailed at once, and waved their jackets as a signal, but no notice wa^ taken ; then indeed, eveiy hope was dispelled, and the bitterness of despair returned with redoubled force. At this juncture, Meldrum resolved, at all hazards, to attempt to swim to the vessel. If he remained in the boat, certam death would be the fate of himself and his companion: on the other hand, he might perish in the ^a but if he reached the brig, both would be saved Without a moment's hesitation, he communicated his design to Mac ean, and then, committing himself to the protection of the Almighty, sprang overboard. The idea of solitude is so repugnant to human nature that even death would be preferable. It can be there- fore easily imagined that it was with feelings almost amountmg to agony that Maclean sa.w himself sepamted 276 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. from his last friend. His first impulse was to follow his companion, but better judgment prevailed, and he deter- mined to await the result. Never for a single instant did his eyes turn from the bold swimmer : they followed his every stroke. At one time, he thought he had sunk ; at another, the ripple of a wave appeared to his distorted imagination like the fin of a shark. Anxiety for the fate of his companion kept his mind on the stretch until distance rendered the object no longer visible. ' Then, indeed, did he feel that he was alone.' Meldrum was naturally a good swimmer, and every nerve was strained in this last struggle for life ; buoyed up by hope, he had accomplished about two-thirds of his weary task when his strength began to fail, his dying eyes turned towards the brig, and with one last effort he raised his voice. He was heard: a boat was lowered from the brig, and he was taken on board. The perilous situation of his comrade was made known; and thus by his gallant exertions were preserved the lives of the two survivors of the ill-fated Magpie. This tale might almost be discredited, but the facts from which it was taken bear the signature of the officers composing the court-martial who sat upon the two remaining men. Mr. Maclean is at the present moment alive, and is now serving as a lieutenant in the coast- guard. Meldrum was promoted for his gallantry to the rank of gunner, and died two years ago. to follow his and he deter- lingle instant bhey followed he had sunk ; his distorted xiety for the stretch until Lble. « Then, T, and every life ; buoyed •-thirds of his lil, his dying last effort he was lowered The perilous and thus by 38 of the two but the facts [)f the officers )on the two sent moment in the coast- lantry to the 277 THE THETIS. JJISMajesty'sship Thetis, of 46 guns, Captain Samuel ttJ:^^!:^:^ s T '^^t ^^ *'^ ^^^^^^ ^' sure on board. The weather was so thick, that as thev worked out of the harbour, the islands at its'entra." ^Z not visible; but as the evening was tolerably fine J'h the exception of the fog. Captain Burgess detimLTto persevere in his course. The foUo^dng moming the fog tha the obscurity was nearly as great as before. The ship tack, until half-past one m the afternoon, when, from the r^koning, they supposed Cape Frio to be about thirty! eight mUes distant, lying north 36^ east. From the hour of their departure from Rio Janeiro, till the time of which we speak, neither sun, moon, nor stars had been visible On account of the cross sea, which appeared to impede the progress of the vessel, and the lightness of the wind her coui^e was kept east by north untU two o'clock, when It was changed to E.N.E. At four o'clock p.m it w^ calculated that they had run about nineteen mUes, and tfntvT'^'''*! r^'^^"?'"^* «f C-Pe Frio,and about twenty-four miles distant from it. The weather clearing sail set, s a^dmg m shore, and no land being visible they concluded that they were still further f^m land than they had reckoned, and therefore they chang d their course again to N.E. by E. At five o'clock the people were mustered at quarters, and then a looming of 278 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. land was seen to the N.N.W., which, according to their calculation, was the direction Cape Frio would bear; and there being no land near it that could have the same appearance, the reckoning was considered correct, and a prudent proportion of sail was made, regard being had to the state of the weather, and the course they were steering. Between six and seven o'clock p.m. the rain again began to fall; the fog returned, and became gradually so thick, that it was impossible to see the length of the ship. At eight P.M. the watch was mustered, and the men placed at their stations to keep a vigilant look out, while the officer of the watch went forward himself to see that the sails were weU trimmed, and that every one was on the alert. At half-past eight, when the captain had retired to his cabin, and was waiting for the usual evening report from the master, a midshipman entered with the startling intelligence that land had been seen close a-head, the ship at the time going at the rate of eight or nine miles an hour. Captain Burgess was on deck in a moment ; he ordered the helm to be put * hard a-port,' and was told it had been done. The next instant the jib-booms and bow- sprit were heard to crash ; the captain hastened to the gangway,* and was just in time to see the foremast go. Scarcely had he called to the men to stand clear, when all the three masts fell aft, one after the other, covering the deck with masts, yards, sails, and rigging, and in their fall killing some and dreadfully mangling others. Within a few feet of the ship rose a stupendous black rock, against which the surf was raging violently. The rock was so perpendicular, that both the fore and main yardarms were (before they fell) scraping against the granite cliff. The hull, however, did not appear to come in contact with the rock; but, as if answering the helm, THE THETIS. 279 her head turned off shore, and as she swung round, the larboard quarter boat was completely smashed between the ship 8 side and the rock. Nothing could exceed the alarm that prevailed on board for a few mmutes after the sudden crash. The decks were covered with spars and ngging, lying pell-mell upon the bodies of those who had been injured by their fall. The man at the helm had been killed at his post, and the wheel itself was shivered to atoms; whilst the darkness of the night, and the roar of the breakers against the cliff, added to the horrors of a catastrophe of which the suddenness alone was sufficient to paralyse the energies of the men. Captain Burgess saw that everything depended upon promptitude and decision: he quickly rallied his people a^d order was soon restored : he then gave directions that the well should be sounded, and that the men should stand by the small bower anchor. A sentinel was placed to guard the spirit-room, and two smaL sails were run up the fore and main-masts, the stumps of which were from twelve to fifteen feet above the deck, and the helm was put to starboard. The winches were next manned, and guns, rockets, and blue lights let off in rapid succession. The well was reported diy ; orders were given for the smaU bower anchor to be let go, but it was found covered with the wreck of the bowsprit, and it was necessary to cut away the best bower in order to keep the ship off shore; and for the same purpose every spar that could be obtained was made use of to bear her off the rocky cliffs, but in vain, for from the depth of the water, the anchor did not reach the bottom, and the stem tailed upon a shelving rock in spite of all their efforts. The men were next ordered to clear away the boats and get them ready— but they were found totally destroyed. Those on the quarters had been smashed by the rocks 280 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL ifAVY. and those on the booms and stern by the falling of the masta During the whole of this anxious period, the conduct of the men was most exemplary. Aware that all depended upon individual exertion, each one appeared to emulate the example set by his oflficers, and worked with hearty good will ; not a single instance of anything like bad conduct occurred. Their condition was most disheartening ; the boats Wore no longer available ; the water was gaining on the vessel ; and the rockets and blue lights, as they darted into the air, served but to show them the rugged face of the high rocks, which appeared to aflford no footing by which the summit could be gained, even if they should be so fortunate as to reach them at all. Whilst all on board were weighing these chances of destruction or of safety, the vessel's head had gone round oflf, and a few succeeding heavy surfs threw her, again with her starboard quarter upon the rock, and whilst she was in this position, there appeared a possi- bility of getting some of the people on shore. Captain Burgess, therefore, ordered Lieutenant Hamilton to do everything in his power to facilitate such a proceeding, and shortly afterwards that officer, Mr. Mends, midship- man, and about seventy others, effected a landing by jumping either from the broken end of the main-yard, which was lying across the ship, or from the hammock netting abaft the mizenmast ; several others who attempted to land in the same way were less fortunate, some were crushed to death, and some drawn back by the recoil of the surf and drowned. From the time the ship first struck, the current had been carrying her-along the cliffs at the rate of at least a quarter of a mile an hour; it now carried her off the rock, and she drifted along shore, a helpless wreck, at the mercy of the winds and waves. The captain saw that THE THKTIS. 281 nothing more could be done for the vessel, and therefore he directed all his energies to the preservation of the crew. The manne who had been appointed to guard the spmt-room still remained at his post, and never left It till commanded to do so by his superior officer, even after the water had burst open the hatch. We mention this as an instance of the effect of good discipline in times of the greatest peril The vessel, or rather the wreck, was now caxried towards a small cove, into which she happily drifted; she struck heavily against the rocks, then gave some tremendous yawls, and gradually sunk until nothing was eft above water but the bows, the broken bowsprit, and the wreck of the masts as they laid on the booms. All on board deemed that the crisis of their fate had arnved,--and they prepared for the final struggle between life and death. There were some moments of awful suspense, for every lurch the ill-fated vessel gave wa^ expected to be the la^; but when she seemed to sink no deeper, there came the hope that her keel had touched the bottom, and that they should not all be engulfed in a watery grave. Before she sunk, the frigate's bows had gone so close nto the rocks as to enable some sixty or seventy people to jump on shore; and a hawser was got out and fixed to a rock, by which several others were saved ; but by a tremendous surge, the piece of rock to which the hawser wa^ fastened was broken away, and for a time all com- munication with the land was suspended. They tried eyeiy means that could be devised to convey a rope from the ship to the land, but for a long time without success, until Mr. Geax^h, the boatswain, swung himself on the stump of the bowsprit, and by making fast two belayinsf pins to the end of a line, he succeeded in throwing it on snore. To this a stronger cable was bent, and was 282 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. dragged through the aurf by the people on the rocks, who then kept it taut. Although a few words only are required to describe the mode by which a communication was established between the ship and the shore, yet it had been a work of toil, time, and danger. The boatswain had more than once nearly lost his life by being washed away by the waves as they swept over the wreck ; the captain, who directed his proceedings, was standing up to his middle in water, upon one foot only, frequently losing his hold, and with great difficulty regaining his position. The boatswain, when the preparations were completed, suggested that, in order to test the strength of the cable, a boy should be the first to make a trial of it; accordingly, a young lad was firmly secured to a sort of cradle or bowling knot, and drawn on shore in safety. The success of the attempt was announced by a loud cheer from the strand, and the captain then took upon himself to direct the landing of the rest of the crew by the same means. He stationed himself on the knight head, so as to prevent a general rush being made ; he then called each man separately, and one by one they slung themselves upon the rope and were swung on shore. Nothing could exceed the good conduct displayed by the whole of the ship's company, every order was promptly obeyed, and the utmost patience and firmness exhibited by every individual. When the greater part of the people had quitted the wreck, there still remained several who could not be induced even by the earnest and repeated entreaties of their commander to leave their dry position on the yards. The strength of the captain and boatswain was almost exhausted, and as they could not persuade any more of the men to avail themselves of the proffered means of safety, they were obliged, though very re- VY. be rocks, who i to describe 3 established been a work id more than away by the captain, who ,0 his middle dng his hold, on. 'e completed, of the cable, accordingly, of cradle or safety. The a loud cheer upon himself by the same lead, so as to a called each I themselves re. Nothing the whole of iptly obeyed, ited by every '. quitted the ould not be entreaties of tion on the Datswain was (ersuade any he proffered igh very re- THE THETIS. 283 luctantly, to leave them on the wreck, and they them- selves jomed the crew on the rocks. In the course of an hour or two, however, the party who had stayed by the wreck, took courage and ventured upon the rope; but as the stump of the bowsprit, which was over the larboard cathead, rendered it extremely Wdous to come forward, they did not all get on shore till daylight. In the morning, Captein Bm-gess's first care was to muster his men, and a melancholy spectacle presented itself. Sixteen v.ere missing, and T those who were gathered round him, many had been dread- tully bruised and lacerated in their efforts to reach the shore Amongst those who perished was a fine spirited M the son of Captain Bingham, late commander of the llietis But a few months before. Captain Bingham himself had been drowned in the Guayaquil : thus father and son lay far from their native land, beneath the western flood. The warlike of the isleB, The men of field and wave, Are not the rocks their funeral pilea, The seas and shores their grave P Go, stranger ! track the deep- Free, free, the white sail spread ; Wind may not rove, nor billows sweep, Where rest not England's dead. The crew of the Thetis had now time to look around them, and to consider what was next to be done The prospect was a sad one. Before them, and almost hidden by the white foam, lay the once noble frigate, now a complete wreck; the cove into which she had drifted was bound by lofty and precipitous crags, arising abruptly irom the sea, and varying in height from 80 to 194 feet Ihe men and officers were perched in groups on points ot the rocks; few of them had clothing enough to cover them, and scarcely any had shoes. There seemed t,n b- 284 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. I no means of ascending the precipice; but to do so must be their first object; and anxiously they sought for some part which might offer a surer footing, and a less perilous and perpendicular ascent. At last they succeeded in casting a rope round one of the projecting crags, and by help of this some of the strongest of the party climbed the giddy height, and then assisted in hauling up their weaker comrades. To give some idea of the difficulties which they had to surmount, and their almost miraculous escape, we subjoin the following description of the place from the pen of Captain Dickinson: — * The coast is formed of rugged and almost perpen- dicular rocks, varying from 80 to 194 feet in height, a peak rising at each point, and another in nearly the centre of the north-eastern side. 'On viewing this terrific place, with the knowledge that at the time of the shipwreck the wind was from the southward, I was struck with astonishment, and it appeared quite a mystery that so great a number of lives could have been saved ; and indeed it will never cease to be so, for that part on which the crew landed is so diffi- cult of access, that (even in fine weather) after being placed by a boat on a rock at the base, it required con- siderable strength and agility, with the assistance of a man-rope, to climb the precipitous face of the cliff, and I am certain that in the hour of extreme peril, when excess of exertion was called forth, there must have been a most extraordinary display of it by a few for the benefit of the whole.' When the party were all safely landed on the top of the rocks, they perceived that they were on an island without inhabitants, which afforded no shelter, except a few huts, that had been erected for the convenience of the natives curing fish. Fortunately these huts con- lVY. to do so must ught for some a less perilous succeeded in crags, and by party climbed iling up their hich they had IS escape, we »lace from the [most perpen- in height, a in nearly the le knowledge was from the aent, and it imber of lives lever cease to led is so diffi- ) after being required con- ssistance of a he cliff, and I ) peril, when ist have been or the benefit on the top of on an island Iter, except a jnvenience of se huts con- THE THETIS. 285 c,,«; • ii *v^"u .«.» soon as tne men wprp suffinently recovered from their fatigues, they ZZl despatched m parties in aJI directions. trd4ove7mZ! ilrZT^ "^f t »->-<', from wMchX island was a few miles distant. Most of them soon returned with the tidings that no means of telsnort could be procured. This was a ven- dishe^nC'Tf nouncement; but its effects were quicklydSTed by tTe" appearance of a eanoe coming into the Me cfve wW^ the huts were situated. The seamen made signals to the men in the canoe Sc!Th», '^' 7 ''r"'™i«'t«d tte welcome intel- igence, that round a point to the left, on the mainland ^here^^ a village which afforded all kinds o^^'c^: Captain Burgess then ordered Lieutenant HamUton to go m a canoe, with two or three of his men S tht villc^, and there to make a^angements for Trocel *„ ' to the commaader-in-chief at Rio Janeiro, aSd toTend off as many canoes as he could procure ti convey the ship s company to the mainland ^ J^Mr^T^^^l '"''''' '^'"' *^™'J »t the island m one of the canoes to say, that the natives refund t! come agam without being paid. In this dilemrirC tain Burgess went across himself, and by dint of ptr suasion and iromises of payment, he at last^indul^-o^; 286 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. of the natives to go to the assistance of his people ; and in the course of a few hours as many were conveyed to the village as was deemed prudent. It was necessary to leave some men to look after the wreck; and to this duty Lieutenant Otway, Mr. Mends, midshipman, the gunner, carpenter, four marines, and thirty-three seamen, were appointed : they therefore remained on the island ; and before night Captain Burgess had the satisfaction of seeing all the rest of his crew, if not very comfortably lodged, at least safe and under shelter. In the evening. Lieutenant Hamilton set out overland to Rio Janeiro to apprise the commander-in-chief of the loss of the Thetis, and the distressing situation of her men. The following morning the people had great difficulty in hiring canoes, and only one could be obtained, in which Lieutenant West and the boatswain went oflf to the wreck, where they were for several days actively em- ployed. None of the men were allowed to be idle, for they had full occupation in carrying wood and water, which were only to be found at a great distance. The behaviour of the local authorities was disgraceful in the extreme ; although fully aware of the destitute condition of the Englishmen who had been cast upon their shores, they denied them the most trifling assist- ance, and turned a deaf ear to every entreaty and remon- strance. Money! money! was the constant cry. In vain Cap- tain Biu-gess assured them that the little he had saved was almost expended; but that as soon as assistance should arrive from his countrymen, every article should be paid for. All his arguments and promises were thrown away upoji the natives, whose rapacity knew no bounds; they would give nothing without payment, and their charges were exorbitant. Captain Burgess was so exasperated at one of these TY. people; and conveyed to necessary to and to this hipman, the iree seamen, I the island ; itisfaction of comfortably the evening, .0 Janeiro to f the Thetis, 3at difficulty obtained, in went off to actively em- ) be idle, for i and water, nee. 3 disgraceful he destitute 1 cast upon Lfling assist- and remon- n vain Cap- e had saved s assistance tide should mises were Lty knew no tyment, and ne of these THE THETIS. 287 natives, who had agreed to let the crew have a small bullock but, upon finding there wa^ no money to pay for It, had dmen it away, that he thought it almost justifiable to desire his men to help themselves. There was however, one bright exception to this universal hard-heartedness. A sergeant, named Antonio das feantos, who commanded a smaU fort of three mins seeing the unwillingness of the natives to render any aid to the strangers, came forward and asked if anything was wanted that he could supply. Captain Burgess rephed, that both his ofiicers and men stood in g?eat need of food, and that a loan of money for present use would be very acceptable. The sergeant immediately placed m the captain's hand forty milreas in copper and most generously put at his disposal everything he' possessed. The example of this noble-hearted fellow had no effect on the conduct of the rest; theu- great object seemed to be to make as much gam as possible by the misfortunes of their fellow-creatures, and they went so far as to plunder the wreck, breaking open the chests, and taking possession of their contents whenever an opportunity occurred. In order to attract the notice of vessels passing near two flag-staffs had been erected upon the heights ivith the ensign downwards; but day after day passed on and no friendly sail appeared. The cupidity of the natives was insatiable, and provisions became more and more scarce. It was not until the 15th of December, ten days after the loss of the Thetis, that a vessel was seen in the ofimg. She proved to be the Algerine, which arrived most opportunely, when they were almost reduced to extremity, and brought them the articles of which they were in greatest need. The next day, just after the Algerine had entered the harbour of Cape Frio, Admiral Baker arrived with a 288 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Vi necessary supply of money. He had attempted the sea- passage from Rio Janeiro, for three days in his barge, but had been obliged to put back on account of the current, and had then performed the journey of seventy mUes overland in forty-eight hours. From the admiral, Captain Burgess had the satisfaction of hearing that the Druid, Clio, Adelaide, and a French brig of war might be hourly expected. These all arrived in due course, and took on board the ojflficers and men of the late Thetis, who were safely landed at Rio Janeiro on the 24th of December. In conclusion we cannot refrain from noticing the finnness and presence of mind evinced by Captain Bur- gess under the most appalling circumstances. After having adopted every available means for saving the ship wichout effect, he superintended for many hours the disembarkation of tlie crew, and during all that tedious process he was standing in a heavy surf up to the middle in water ; nor could he be persuaded to quit the wreck until not one more of his officers or men would consent to go before him. Respecting the conduct of the officers and men, we cannot do better than lay before our readers Captain Burgess's own estimate of its merits. * I owe,' he says, ' to the whole of my officers and men (and which most sincerely and unreservedly I render,) the meed of praise due to the conduct of every one, without exception. It was their prompt obedience to all my orders, and the firmness, fortitude, and alacrity which they perseveringly as well as patiently displayed amidst their great perils, sufferings, and privations, througn the whole of this trying scene, that contributed, under Providence, to the saving of so many of their lives. 'Their subsequent orderly and excellent conduct on shore as much bespeaks my approbation ; and, in truth, THE THETIS. 289 the general character of their conduct throughout U. induced an esteem in me which it i^ in^nnoc n ^ cease but with my life '* impossible can ever Ploved from r»+ ;• I ^ ^^"^""^^ constantly em- pioyed trom that time until the year 1804 whL h^ was appointed a lieutenant on board tL Prinle of 98 guns, m which ship he was DrP<,Pnf ^^ X ^ 1 ? ^^ Trafalgar ^ ^""^ ^* *^® battle of tenaut Burgess diatinguiahed hunself on mJ™^;"' he „.ight well have expected ,roZi^:^i:tt^^ he remained lieutenant until the year ISlT^T !^ was appointed to the Queen CharUCin J^;^ t^Tp h: served as flag-lieutenant to Lord Exmouth at fJ if baxdmentofAlgiers. Ilpon the ai^^th^Vi^p^tZ' m England, Lieutenant Burgess was promoted^to the rank of commander. He received his post rank on the A more len^hened statement of the services of this officer will be found in O'Byrne's J^aval Biography to which work we are indebted for the above sketch r80*fiS.%T*7v.P'''^x.''^ *^^ ^'"^"^^ !<>«* ^ith the Thetis (806 000 dollars) has subsequently been recovered. An interLf ing description of the means used for raising it wilj b^fourd t a volume published by Captain Dickinson. "* "* O # 290 k- THE FIREFLY. THE Firefly, a small schooner, with a crew of about fifty men, was proceeding on her voyage from Belize to Jamaica, on the 27th of February, 1835. The wind had been moderate during the day, and as they were steering a course laid down in the chart, no danger was anticipated. Between nine and ten o'clock at night, the greater part of the crew, with the exception of those whose duty it was to be upon deck, had retired below, when the sea- man in charge of the watch reported to the commander, Lieutenant Julius McDonnell, that it was very dark ahead. He instantly went upon deck, when the sound of surf breaking upon rocks was distinctly heard. The helm was put down, under the hopes of staying the vessel, but as the wind was light, and a heavy swell setting in at the time, she did not come round, but get- ting stem-way, struck with a shock which made every timber vibrate, and appeared to threaten instant destruc- tion to the vessel. All were in a moment upon deck ; the sweeps were got out on the larboard side, the best bower anchor let go, and the boats hoisted out, and ordered to sound, whilst the cutter was sent to carry out the stream anchor. The cable was then held taut, but snapped almost immediately: the best bower came home, and the small bower was let go. In the meantime, the wind had shifted to the northward, and was blowing in heavy squalls, and their small bower anchor, which was their sole dependence, came home. Everything that could be done was put into practice THE FIREPLY. 291 •ew of about 3 from Belize The wind IS they were ) danger was the greater J whose duty ^hen the sea- commander, s very dark in the sound heard. The staying the heavy swell md, but get- made every tant destruc- . upon deck; de, the best ed out, and to carry out ild taut, but came home, eantime, the LS blowing in r, which was into practice to save the vessel Knf oii • broke, her ,oo^d" lITh' ""^ ''^"' '^y'^^' kft him but to take lZ,!^f **""* ""^ ""^^^g now the crew. ^"^' ^°' preserving the lives of contain the whot ^T re^^l?" "'" ™«-"* *» o-clook in the morning Lrl^t w^ /'" '"'* ^^^ cutter and gig preparfd Z JT u """"P'^tcd, and the was all this time Sl^^brlT™ '^' """■ ">« ™^«I teelson and Z S„n^ I J"^ "P' *""" ^olts of her broken in, and tletZbutltTT- '^^ ^^'^ "- together many houra ^ ^"^ "^ ^^' bolding West (an engineer offiL^ aL'd hfe 1 1 d ?l ''"P*^ mustered in the raft wi,,-«i, i , ' " nfteen were the wreck, when^m ^1 ^ T^^f ^ '^' '^^'^ "^ and was c;.ried aCb;tTe Z^' t -"^ ^°' '^"'*' unfortunate, as the ^tU tS °L r^' '"■°™'* '"»^' on board of her would me^^tlu f^ *"""* ^ ^^ »" the cutter pushed out oTw ^ ^!'™ Perished, had not fastened toL ^t,td h yMteTCf . ^ -P« -- to the schooner; bit Tthe f^^^^J^ '"^ ''«'' back aad the wind se so stmnf toTh! ^ ""'^ ''''" »'». unable to rea*h the sl^er ""'*''"'"•'' ""^y -«~ McDonneU thought it a^:^ e'to'dlet^^TT take on board the siclr nn^ „ j „ ™ "^cer to Belize, and if he fell n ;i?h /'T'' *"■ ^*^'« «» to the schooner ll^^ril *'";'''[ *''^''''''«' back »«ain returned, m ZlSueT r^^^ '^"'"^ "« >"■* . J> con^Huence of au accident having 292 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. happened to the mast ; this being remedied, she again pulled away from the wreck and having fallen in with the cutter, communicated the orders of Mr. McDonnell for her return. This, as has before been shown, was impos- sible, and the gig, having taken on board Captain "West and his son, parted from the cutter, with the intention of proceeding to Belize. When Lieutenant McDonnell saw that the cutter did not return, he directed and assisted the men who remained upon the wreck to construct a second raft. This, after considerable labour, was completed by the following morning : it was then launched overboard, and made fast to the rocks within the reef. As the wreck still held together, Mr. McDonnell considered it prudent to remain by her as long as possible, in the hope that some assist- ance might arrive from Belize : but in this he was dis- appointed. In the meantime, another and stronger raft had been formed from the after part of the quarter-deck, which had been broken up by the sea ; this also was launched, and brought forward under the bowa The men almost hoped against hope, but yet no assistance arrived. Fortunately, the weather was partially moderate, but still the sufferings, from exposure to the weather, and the deprivation of proper food, were severely felt; and Lieutenant McDonnell determined, under all these circumstances, to wait no longer, and on the 4th of March everything was in readiness to quit the wreck. A small barrel of bread was placed on the raft, but this was immediately washed off into the sea. A beaker one-third full of rum was then fastened more securely, and this was the only thing that they could take with them. All having embarked, they started with the intention of steering towards a cay which was in sight, but the cur- rent proved too strong, and the raft was swept into deep THE FIREFLY. 293 , she again in with the Oonnell for ivas impos- ptain West ntention of 3 cutter did 10 remained This, after J following and made ck still held t to remain some assist- tie was dis- tronger raft larter-deck, is also was bows. The ) assistance y moderate, veather, and y felt; and all these the 4th of ; the wreck. be raft, but , A beaker 3re securely, d take with he intention but the cur- pt into deep water. The sail was then set, and they steered in the direction of what was supposed to be a wreck, or vessel, m the ^me situation as themselves ; but on nearing, it proved to be a sand-bore, on which people were distinctly seen walking to and fro. They immediately conjectured that these must be the crew of one of the boats, a suppo- sition which afterwards proved to be correct. Every eflfort was made to gain the bank, but the current was too strong, and they found it impossible to reach anv part of the reef. Lieutenant McDonnell, who had been suffering some days from ill health, was now so exhausted that he was obliged to be supported upon the raft. He was, there- fore, unable to give any commands; and, after a short consultation, it was considered best to stand out to sea, m the hopes of falling in with some vessel. The night had set in, and they steered a course westward. On the following morning a white bottom was seen, but imme- diately afterwards the raft was again in deep water. All this time they had nothing to eat ; their sole subsistence being a small quantity of rum, which was served out at stated intervals. The following morning, about eight o'clock, land was observed right a-head, and they endeavoured to steer in that direction ; but their progress, from the heavy con- struction of the raft, was necessarily very slow, and it was not until sunset that they found themselves about nine or ten miles from the shore. All the next night they stood m the same direction ; and about four or five o'clock in the morning, as near as they could guess, they were cast by the surf upon the beach. Utterly prostrate with the fatigues they had undergone, they threw themselves upon the sand, and soon found in sleep a brief forgetfulness of their past cares and troubles. They did not awake for many hours, when, upon looking around, they discovered 294 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. that the commander was absent. This, however, gave them no uneasiness, as it was supposed that he had gone in search of assistance. The first object was to proceed in quest of water, of which they stood in most need. They had gone for more than a mile without finding anything to moisten their lips, or any signs of habita- tion, when one of the men discovered a cocoa-nut tree : here was both food and drink, and with avidity they seized upon the fruit, and found relief from their most urgent wants. Amongst the party who were cast on shore were Mr. Malcolm, a master's assistant, and Mr. Pricu, a mer- chant ; these, with the rest of the men, proceeding a little further into the woods, became so fatigued that they were obliged to return to the place where they were first cast, whilst their companions prosecuted the search for Lieutenant McDonnell, whose continued absence had given the greatest alarm. About one o'clock, some of the men returned, but brought no tidings of the commander ; they said that the rest of the men had determined to walk round the cay, as they conjectured the place on which they were cast was Ambegris Cay, and more especially as Mr. Price, who had been long a resident at Honduras, had assured them that to the south-east there was a plantation belonging to one of his friends. About two hours afterwards the men returned, but neither their endeavours to find a habitation nor any traces of Lieutenant McDonnell had been successful. They said that it had been their intention to walk round the cay, but from the appearance of the coast, they did not think it was possible to do so that day. It was then proposed that they should rest where they were during night, and renew their search at an early hour next morning. THE FIREFLY. 295 ever, gave 3 had gone to proceed most need, lut finding of habita- L-nut tree : idity they their most e were Mr. !«, a mer- )ceeding a i that they ' were first search for tsence had limed, but id that the id the cay, were cast Price, who ured them jlonging to imed, but n nor any successful, i^alk round b, they did b was then ere during bour next Whilst they were sitting on the beach, one of the men thought he saw Mr. McDonnell running in the surf about half a mile distant. Ritchie, the gunner's mate,' immediately proceeded in the direction where he was supposed to be, and found that unfortunate officer in a state of delirium. He endeavoured to persuade him to come down to where the rest of the men were as- sembled, but a few incoherent words were his only reply. Ritchie was, therefore, obliged to return to his comrades for assistance; and having communicated the sad condition of their officer, they all proceeded together to the spot where he was last seen, but found no traces ot the commander. Search was made in every direc- tion, but in vain; and as night was approaching, they were reluctantly obliged to return to the place which they had fixed upon as their rendezvous. In their way thither they gathered some more cocoa-nuts, and having satisfied their hunger and thirst, lay down to rest, under the canopy of heaven, and with no softer bed than what the sandy beach affi)rded. The next morning the men again declared their inten- tion of walking in search of the plantation mentioned by Mr. Price. Mr. Malcolm, who had become the senior officer m the absence of Mr. McDonneU, advised them to remain where they were, and to build a hut, and dig a well for water; he assured them that, as long as there was a plentiful supply of cocoa-nuts, they could not starve, and that the chances were, assistance would arrive. All was, however, to no purpose; they would not listen to any argument, and even disregarded his authority. It was as much as he could do to insist upon their first going in search of their commander. After a long time employed for this purpose, they discovered Mr. McDonnell asleep beneath a parmetta tree. Upon hearing footsteps approaching, he awoke, but 296 SHIPWBECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. in such a feeble state that he was unable to rise without assistance, and from the wildness of his manner, there was too much reason to fear that his reason had fled. They gave him some cocoa-nut milk, which he eagerly drank, and this appeared to give him some relief. "With difficulty they made him comprehend that they intended to proceed to the plantation for assistance, but he refused to join them, alleging that a boat was coming for him. In a short time he appeared a little more collected, and agreed to join the expedition. There still remained a small supply of rum, and a portion of this being poured into some empty cocoa-nuts, it was distributed equally amongst the men, and they all commenced their journey, the men about 200 yards ahead, and Mr. McDonnell,' supported by Malcolm and Mr. Price, brought up the rear. After proceeding in this way about two miles, Mr. McDonnell's strength utterly failed, and he sank down upon the ground, declaring that he could go no further ; every entreaty was urged to persuade him to make another effort, but both the powers of the mind and body had deserted the unfortunate officer, and Malcolm and his companion were at a loss to know what course to pursue. After a brief consultation they determined to leave Mr. McDonnell, and as soon as they reached the plantation, which Mr. Price declared could not be far distant, return with assistance. They then once more resumed their journey, the men proceeding a-head as before ; in the middle of the day they stopped to rest, and again resumed their march until about an hour before sunset, when they arrived at two cocoa-nut trees ; and as these formed not only a place of shelter, but also a- means of procuring food, they deter- mined to remain there for the night. The men who had climbed up the trees, and were gathering fruit, descried a pond, or creek, in the wood, about half a mile distant. THE FIREFLY. 297 ! without ler, there had fled. 3 eagerly f. With intended e refused for him. 3ted, and aained a ^ poured . equally journey, Donnell, the rear, lies, Mr. tik down further ; /O make ind and Malcolm \i course ermined shed the b be far he men the day ch until [ at two place of r deter- ^ho had scried a distant. Mr Price then observed, if that was the case, they were on the mamland, and not on Ambegris Cay They were now in a great dilemma, for they were uncertam which way to proceed, and Mr. Malcolm endeavoured to persuade the men to retun. to th" beach, assunng them that it wa^ quite useless their pro- ceedmg any further, for they did not know where they were gomg ; but they turned a deaf ear to eveiy avJ- ment, declanng that they would walk as long as they reroMhe me^' "^t' ''^ T"'^^^' ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ rest of the men, and urged them to continue their jour- ney m the hopes that they might be seen by some and 17 T'V ^'Ti' ^'^''' ^^^ ™ Saturday night; and after toiling all day, they had only walked ten miles from where they had left Mr. McDonnell. The next monnng Mr. Malcolm again entreated the men to trirmarl ' ™ '' ^^ ^^^^' ^^' *^^^ — ed The men continued to walk together until Tuesday evening, subsisting upon cocoa-nuts, which they gathered on their way, when Malcolm was obliged to be left behind, as he was unable to walk any further The next morning, he was found by some natives, and taken to Ambegns Cay, where the men had arrived the previous evening. ^ We must now return to the fate of the cutter, which It iiu Tr^'"^ ^'^* *^' ^""^ «^ *^^ "corning of the 28th of February, taking the raft in tow They endeavoured to return to the schooner, but the current proving too strong, they were obliged to abandon the attempt, and ran before the wind until they made a sand- bore on the south end of the reef, about an hour after- wards. They then cut the raft adrift, and landed the men that were m the cutter, sending the boat back with two men 03 298 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. to carry the rest off the raft, as it was impossible to bring the raft to the sand-bore. It was about seven o'clock in the evening when they were all safely landed, the cutter being at this time in such a condition, that she could not have floated, even in smooth water, without baling. They then dragged the boat up the beach, where they remained until daylight next morning, the 1st of March. Mr. Nopps, master's-assistant, who was the commanding officer of the party, determined to leave the majority of the men on the sand-bore, and proceed to the wreck ; he accordingly started with five men in the cutter, in hopes of reaching the schooner, but as it blew strongly from the northward, and the boat had no jib or mizen, and the mainmast and sprit sprung, they found it impos- sible to beat to windward. In this condition, as there was no appearance of the wind abating, and nothing to eat except some salt pork, and only two beakers of water, one of which had been drunk during the night, Mr. Nopps considered it his duty to take the boat with these five men, and run for the first place they could fetch, hoping to reach Belize, which was nearly before the wind. For two days they scudded before the wind, without being able to set any sail, and had passed at least forty miles to the southward of Belize, before the wind abated ; during this time they suffered severely from want of water, the last beaker having been finished, and the salt pork increasing their thirst. It was not until twelve o'clock on Tuesday, the 3rd of March, that they arrived in Belize roads, and were taken on board the Fly. Here they received every attention that was neces- sary, and Mr. Rogers, the master of the Fly, accompanied by Mr. Nopps, was despatched in the Governor's schooner to the assistance of the men who were left on the sand- bore, and of the others who were still supposed to bo upon the wreck. THE FIREFLY. 299 On D following Friday, the 6th of March, they readied the sand-bore, and having taken off the men proceeded to the wreck, where they found only two men, from whom they learnt that Lieutenant McDonnell and the rest of the people, had quitted the wreck two days previously. Pilot boats were then sent in search and another party explored the coast ; and after visiting Long Bay, without hearing any tidings, returned to Belize. In the course of two days, a boat arrived with the eight men who had been with McDonnell, who reported that they had left that officer, almost dead, in the wood. Mr. Nopps again departed in a pilot-boat in search of his commander, but when he reached Ambegris Cay, tlie boat Wiis unable to beat up outside the breakers, and it came on to blow so violently during the night, that they were prevented from landing ; the following day they were more successful, and Mr. Nopps walked up the coaat. For two days his search proved useless, but on the third he had the pleasure of finding Mr. McDonnell still alive, in a hut, under the care of some Indians. After the lapse of two days, he was so far recovered as to be taken on board the pilot-boat, and arrived next morning at Belize Bay. It would have been happy if all connected with the Firefly had been equally fortunate. Tim gig, which had been sent from the wreck to BeliJse for assistance, was found several days afterwards cast upon the beach, broken in two, and all in her must have perished. Lieutenant McDonnell was promoted to the rank of commander in 1846, and at present is unemployed. 300 THE AVENGER. THE Avenger, a steam frigate, with an armament of 6 heavy guns and 250 men, sailed from Gibraltar on the afternoon of the 17th of December, 1847. As her com- mander, Captain Charles G. E. Napier, was anxious to spare the coal, the steam was reduced to th&least possible degree, leaving sufficient to work the wheels up to the rate of sailing. On Monday, the 20th, the steamer was running with square yards, at the rate of eight or nine knots an hour, steering about east by south, under double-reefed topsails and reefed foresail. At eight o'clock in the evening the usual watch was placed, with directions to keep a careful look-out. The night was dark and squally, with a high sea running, and occasionally loud peals of thunder were heard, accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning. Most of the officers were collected in the gun-room, with the exception of the captain, who had retired to his sleeping cabin. He had directed his steward to request the attendance of the master, and of Mr. Betts, the second master, who soon joined him in the cabin, where they remained for a few minutes examining the charts. The captain's steward relates, that the above officers went upon deck, when Captain Napier desired him to take away the light, and to leave a small lamp burning in the fore-cabin, which was always kept alight at sea during the night. He accordingly did so, and returned to his berth. In about half-an-hour afterwards he heard some one come down from the quarter-deck, and go into the captain's cabin. In about five minutes the captain went upon deck, where he remained for a short time, and THE AVENGER. 301 again returned to his cabin, but had scarcely closed the door, before he was summoned upon deck by the officer of the watch. The officers in the gun-room were upon the point of retiring to then- berths, when they were startled by a sudden jerk, which they at first supposed to be a gun broken adrift, but the next moment the ship gave a heavy lurch, as if filling, and her whole frame appeared shaken, and every beam loosened. It would be in vain to attempt to describe the dismay of the crew of the ill-fated Avenger, when thus roused from a sense of comparative security, to find themselves in an instant upon the verge of destruction. Already the deck was crowded with people, most of them only partially clothed, and the rest almost naked. On the bridge between the paddle-boxes stood the captain and master; Mr. Ayling, the master's assistant, the quarter-master, and two seamen were at the wheel. In another minute the ship gave a heavy lurch to starboard, and the sea poured over the forecastle. The captain then gave the order, ' Out boats —lower away the boats.' These were his last words, for he was immediately afterwards washed overboard and drowned. Lieutenant Rooke, who never appears to have lost his presence of mind, immediately went forward to assist in lowering the boats, but under the firm impression that the ship was fast sinking, and with little hope that there was time enough to get out the boats, or even if lowered, that they could live in such a heavy sea. He saw, however, if anything was to be done, it must be done immediately; he therefore went amongst the men endeavouring to persuade them to lower the starboard cutter; Mr. Betts, the second master, at the same time attempted to lower the port one. Every entreaty and persuasion that Lieutenant Rooke could use was, however, 302 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. of no avail; the men seemed paralysed with the sudden panic and the apparent helplessness of their situation. Instead of affording assistance, they clustered together, exclaiming, 'Oh, my God, Sir, we are lost — ^we are lost !' Mr. Kooke, finding that all his arguments were of no avail, crossed the deck to the port side for the purpose of helping Mr. Betts in lowering the port cutter. In his way he met Larcom, the gunner, who had just come from below, with his clothes under his arm, having been in bed when the ship struck. Hastily acquainting him with his intention, they made the best of their way to the cutter, where they were joined by Dr. Steel, the surgeon, Mr. Ayling, master's-assistant, John Owen, a stoker, James Morley, a boy, and W. Hills, captain's steward. At this moment. Lieutenant Marryat made his appearance, his manner calm and self-possessed; he was in the act of addressing himself to one of the party, when the ship gave a heavy lurch to starboard, and the gallant young officer lost his footing, and was washed overboard. Whilst they were in the act of lowering the cutter, an accident occurred, which was nearly proving fatal to all their hopes of preservation. In lowering the boat, the foremost fall got jammed, and the after one going freely, the boat had her stem in the water, and her bows in the air; at this moment, Dr. Steel threw in his cloak, which fortunately got into the sleave-hole of the after fall, and stopped it. Just as the boat touched the water, and before the tackles were unhooked, the ship struck again heavily, and began swinging broadside to the sea, falling over to star- board at the same time, which, from the cutter being the port one, made her crash with great violence against the ship's side; however, by dint of great exertion, the boat was got free from the tackles, and pulled clear of the ship. THE AVENGER. 303 The Avenger now lay broadside to the sea, with her head towards Africa, falling at the same time to wind- ward, with her deck exposed; the foremast, mainmast, and mizen topmast falling over the starboard side, and the funnel on the gangway, no doubt killing many of the crew as it feU. As the boat left the ship's side, some one attempted to bum a blue-light, but it went out immediately. The sea was now occasionally seen to break over the forecastle and quarter, and Mr. Rooke, in the hope of saving some of the crew, gave orders to' lie on their oars, and keep the boat's bow to the ship, to be ready to pick up any of the survivors in the event of the ship's falling to pieces. Lieutenant Rooke and his little party * remained by the ship for about an hour and a half, the moon at intervals shining out brightly from behind the heavy clouds, and discovering the Island of Gahta, apparently about ten or twelve miles distance. The weather now became more tempestuous; the rain poured in torrents; and all being almost exhausted with pulling against a strong current, and being gradually drawn away from the ship. Lieutenant Rooke considered it most advisable to run under the lee of Galita, and there, if possible, remain on their oars until there was daylight sufficient to land, and seek assistance for the ship, in the event of the island being inhabited. All being of the same opinion, the boat's head was turned towards Galita, and they took a last look at the Avenger, which appeared to be firmly fixed, and likely to hold together for some time. The weather grew worse and worse; the boat, under a * The party in the boat consisted of Lieutenant Eooke ; Mr. Betts, second master; Mr. Ayling, master's assistant;' Mr. Larcom. gunner; Dr. Steel, the surgeon: Wm. HiUs, captain's steward J John Owen, stoker; and the boy Morley. 304 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. close-reefed mizen on the bumpkin stepped as a fore- mast, was steered with an oar by the second master. When they had arrived within about two miles of the island, the wind shifted to a very severe squall, accom- panied with lightning, thunder, and a heavy hail-storm. Mr. Larcom, the gunner, now took the place of the second master in steering the boat, which was scarcely got round, before the wind caught her with such violence, that it seemed impossible the boat could live. The squall continued without intermission for two hours and a half, when the moon again emerged from the clouds, and the Island of Galita was discovered on the port quarter. Some in the boat exclaimed, ' That is the island !' which, at the time, they supposed to be long out of sight, as the boat appeared to be going rapidly through the water; this naturally led to a conjecture that a strong current set to the northward and eastward. The wind still continued to veer about, and at one time they thought that they must have passed the ship, but the night was too dark to enable them to discern any- thing clearly many yards beyond the boat. In this manner they passed the long hours of night, exposed to cold, hunger, and exhaustion ; and, as Lieu- tenant Rooke afterwards observed, with the full expecta- tion that they would be unable to survive until morning. The second master appeared to have lost all reason. Upon being questioned as to whereabouts they were, or in what direction it was necessary to steer, he seemed to be scarcely aware that he was addressed. The doctor, the master's assistant, and the boy Morley, were lying at the bottom of the boat during the whole night, and the stoker, John Owen, was wrapped in his jacket, and appeared, if possible, in a worse condition than the second master. When asked to do anything, he only replied by vacant answers, and before morning became Y. I as a fore- ond master, niles of the uall, accom- ' hail-storm, lace of the ms scarcely ch violence, on for two erged from scovered on ned, 'That posed to be )ing rapidly conjecture d eastward, it one time e ship, but iscem any- •s of night, d, as Lieu- lU expecta- il morning, all reason. 3y were, or seemed to 'he doctor, re lying at it, and the icket, and than the I, he only ag became THE AVENGEB. 305 idiot. an idiot. At last the wished-for day broke, and the coast of Africa was discerned about eight or nine miles distant. As Lieutenant Rooke considered that the boat could not be kept above water much longer, he deter- mined upon attempting a landing, and accordingly he himself steered her towards a small spot of sand, appa- rently clear of the rocks, and slightly sheltered by a reef running out into the sea. This officer, from the time the boat quitted the Avenger, had, notwithstanding his own personal sufFer- mgs, set a noble example to his comrades, by exerting every effort to sustain their drooping spirits. As he approached the shore, he exclaimed in a cheerful voice, 'This is something like Don Juan's shipwreck; I only hope we shall find a Haidee.' It must not be supposed that this was said out of bravado, or because he was not perfectly aware of the danger, but from the necessity of his duty, as their commanding officer, to infuse a new spirit into his exhausted crew, and to encourage them in the approaching struggle, which he well knew would be * life or death.' On hearing the above words, poor Steel, the doctor, exclaimed, ' Rooke ! Rooke ! there are other things to think of now.' The words were prophetic, for before many minutes had elapsed, he had ceased to exist. As they approached the shore, the sail was shifted from the port side to the starboard, and the sheet which had been held by Hills, the captain's steward, for ten hours, was fastened to the thwarts. Mr. Rooke now again resigned his place as steerer to Larcom, the gunner, and assisted the others in baling out the boat, which had shipped a heavy sea on the quarter- The boat was steered within about one hundred and fifty yards of the beach, when the rollers caught her, first lifting her upright, and, as there was not water enough to float her whole length, she filled and capsized. Larcom, 306 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. Lieutenant Rooke, Hills, the captain's steward, and the boy Morley, succeeded in gaining the beach, but the rest of their unfortunate comrades perished. We should here mention that this was the second occasion on which the boy Morley narrowly escaped a watery grave. When the Avenger was at Lisbon, the boy fell over- board, and would have perished, had it not been for Lieutenant Marryat, who, at the risk of his own life, sprung into the sea, and rescued the boy. In a few minutes a Bedouin Arab, who had been watching the boat from some high ground, came towards them and conducted them to his hut, where he supplied them with some milk; and having lighted a fire, they were enabled to dry their clothes. They remained with their hospitable entertainer during that day, and in the evening made a supper of maize-cake and sour milk. In the meantime, Mr. Rooke had made the Arab understand their situation, and their wish to get to Tunis; and after some trouble and promise of reward, he agreed to conduct them next morning to Biserta. The wearied men then threw them- selves on the ground, where they passed the night in company with dogs, cows, and goats, exposed to a violent wind and pouring rain. Their subsequent proceedings are thus related by Lieutenant Rooke: — 'Wednesday, December 22nd. — At about 9 A.M. we started. Our road lay at first over a ridge of high hills, from which we saw nothing of the ship. We then crossed a sandy plain covered with the cactus, which severely wounded, my feet. Afterwards passed through some wooded ravines, and over an extensive marsh inter- sected with brooks. Towards the evening a horseman overtook us, who, seeing the tired condition of the THE AVENGEK. m by steward, his feet bleeding, and also suflfering from a gash on his head, received whilst landing, cjaixied him for about four miles, and when his road lay in a different direction, gave our guide his gun, and a piece of silver tor ua 'The night being now dark, and all of us exhausted we stopped at a Bedouin encampment, and asked for shelter, which after some time was granted. We had been walking about ten hours, and got over more than thirty mUes of broken ground, having stopped once for a tew mmutes to pick the berries oflf some arbutus trees bemg our only food since breakfast till late that night' We were wet, coverless, and all except myself shoeless. 'They gave us some maize-cake and milk. Seeing horses, I made them understand that they would be well paid if they let us have them to take us on to Biserta that night, when they made signs that the gates were locked, but that we should ha hem in the morning. 'Thursday, December 23rd.— At daylight we set out but none of us could walk from swollen feet. After a nde of about fifteen miles, sometimes fording streams, and at others nearly up to our horses' knees in mud we arrived about ten A.M., at Biserta, and went to the house of our consular agent, an Italian, whom I immediately asked to prepare a boat for Tunis. ' The boats here were aU too small to send to the wreck and for which the wind was foul, with a fresh breeze About 1 P.M. I started for Tunis, and arrived about 11 P.M. at the Goletta, where I landed, and sent to our Vice- Consul, who after some difficulty, owing to the port regulations, came to see me, and tried to pass me through the gates, but did not succeed. He promised to get two vessels ready, as unfortunately there were no steamers here at the time of our arrival. In one I meant to have 808 SHIPWRECKS OP THE ROYAL NAVY. sent Mr. Larcom to Galita, and the other I intended to take to the wreck. * Friday, December 24th. — At daylight, when the gates opened, I entered a carriage, and drove up to our consul-general, who ordered his agent to forward my views in every way, sending his son to hurry matters, whilst he communicated with the Bey, who ordered his squadron to sea. ' Whilst my boat was preparing (a Maltese speronara, with a crew of twelve men, selected for their knowledge of the coast), I wrote two letters, one to Malta, and the other to Lisbon, stating the loss of the ship. Not having slept for four nights, and being thoroughly tired, would account for the vague statement I sent. I then break- fasted, and started about two P.M., having put on board such provisions as my hurried departure admitted of — tea, coffee, biscuits, and spirits, in case I should be fortu- nate enough to save anybody. * Saturday, December 25th, on my passage, and at daylight on Sunday T was close to the spot where the Avenger was wrecked, although there was no broken or discoloured water to mark it. I cruised about till satisfied she had either broken up or sunk. Whilst here I saw two steamers (Lavoisier and Pasha) come up and cruise about Galita together: a merchant ship, and a gun-boat of the Bey's, with which I communicated, asking them to take me to Galita, which I wished to examine per- sonally, as also to speak the steamers, my own crew, with whom I had great trouble, refusing to do so. They declined, when I asked them to take half my crew out, and lend me two men, to which request I also received a negative; so J returned to Tunis, arriving at about 1 A-M. on the morning of Tuesday, December 28th. Sir Thomas Keade took all to his house, and made it a home for us. I went on board the French steamer Lavoisier, THE AVENGER. so» ended to hen the ip to our ^ard my matters, ered his leronara, lowledge and the t having i, would a break- ►n board led of — 5e fortu- and at here the roken or satisfied re I saw d cruise ^n-boat ig them ine per- il crew, , They rew out, received t about th. Sir a home ivoisier. to thank the captain for his assistance, and also waited on the governor for the same purpose.' During the summer of the present year, the French government directed Captain Bouchet Rivifere to make a survey of the Sorelle. In conclusion, therefore, we will give the following extract from that officer's letter, as it throws some light upon the circumstances which led to the loss of the Avenger: — * The English frigate. Avenger, was lost on the two Sorelle; I saw between the two heads of rocks, which are aptly named ' Sisters,' here entire engine, two anchors, a shell gun, and some loose parts of the wreck. I recovered and took on board some pieces of iron from the bed of the engine, and a boarding cutlass. The engine lies in a medium depth of ten metres Cthirtv- threefeet). , ^ , * From information which has been given me by boats which saw the Avenger at sea the day of her loss, and adding the observations which I was enabled to make on the spot itself, I have every reason to believe that the event happened in the following manner : ' The Avenger had, during the day, run along the coast of Algeria, but on the approach of night, being then north of Galle, and the weather having suddenly become very bad, with a great deal of wind from the north-west, the captain of the Avenger altered her course immediately to the northward, in order not to be caught in the middle of a dangerous channel. As soon as he thought that the ship had passed the parallel of the Sorelle, he resumed his course to the eastward, satisfied that he would pass several miles to the northward of them. He had not cal- culated on the currents which I have found at this dan- gerous spot, and which, with a north-west wind, set to the south-eastward with a rapidity of about 3 miles an hour. The track of the Avenger must have been mate- 310 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. rially altered by this cause. When she steered east, she was only in the latitude of the Sorelle, and was shortly afterwards, on a very dark night, shattered against these rocka The first shock must have been dreadful. It took place on the point south-east of the north-west rock; when she cleared this rock, which is at this spot thirteen feet below the surface, leaving a large white furrow, she ran a hundred and sixty feet further, and struck on the south-east rock, which is only about four feet (one metre twenty centimetres) below the surface. She again marked the rock very distinctly. The sea, which is often very rough on this spot, has left nothing remaining but the massive part of the engine, where it can be per- ceived between the two rocks, covered with thick weed. 'The dangerous Sorelle are formed by two tables of rocks, distant about a hundred and sixty feet from each other, and separated by a channel of a medium depth of thirty-nine to forty-nine feet (twelve to fifteen metres). These two tables of rocks extend from the north-west to the south-east. The north-west one has a diameter of 66 English feet (twenty metres), its highest point is to the eastward, 16 feet under water (five metres). The south- eastern ha*, a diameter of 197 feet (sixty meters), and its highest point is only at a depth of 4 feet. This last point is situated, according to my observations, which agree with the position laid down in the chart of Admiral Berard, in 37* 24' of north latitude, and 6" 16' 25" of east longitude from Paris, (or 8° 36' 45" east of Green- wich); l7'-4 miles S. 65° 15' W. of the east point of the Island of Galita, and 2r-3 miles N. 0** 30' E. of Cape Roux.' ^ The fate of the Avenger leads to many sad reflections. The last of the wrecks described in this volume, one of yesterday, as it were, was more disastrous tha^ many others. It is painful to contemplate the scene of dismay, THE AVENGER. 811 when the ship struck, so unlike the presence of mind and cahn deportment which we have recorded on similar occaaiona But every allowance is to be made for the panic which followed a catastrophe so sudden and so over- whelmmg. The night was dark and tempestuous, the sea wa^ running high, and aU the elements were in a state of uproax. The paralysing effect of this accumula- tion of horrors appears in the fact, that even after the small party of eight had so far secured their preservation a^ to be m possession of the cutter, and were within sight of the Island of Galita, two of them were found to be bereft of their reason. The first crash, and the rapid plunge of the ship into the gulf that opened for her, and the loss of their Captain among the first that perished, left the crew without that gmdance and control to which seamen are in the habit of looking for support. But though we have to regret the consternation that prevailed, there was no gross neglect or misconduct to throw a darker shade over the last hours of the Avenger Captam Napier had been in consultation in his cabin with the master and second-master, examining the chart^and had also been on deck, giving directions to the officer of the watch, but a short time before the first alarm. When the panic was at its height, there was no act of dastardly selfishness for personal preservation, to the disregard of the safety of others. The officers are not accused of losing their composure. Lieut. Mariyat m stated to have been 'calm and self-possessed;' and Mr Rooke's strenuous efforts to lower the cutter, and his manly resolution to remain by the ship, as long as there was any chance of saving the lives of some of the sur- vivors, attest his devotion to his duty to the veiy last. The French officer. Captain Bouchier Riviere, who made a survey of the Sorelle after the wreck, and rrl-*/ 312 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. deliberately considered all the circumstances, imputes no blame to the officers of the Avenger, but generously accounts for the misfortune by referring to the dangers of the spot, the force of the currents, the wildness of the weather, and the darkness of the night. 'The first shock,' says he, * must have been dreadful/ It would have been humiliating and afflicting, had this record of the Shipwrecks of the Royal Navy, in which there is so much to admire, been closed with the details of a calamity in any way disgraceful to the service. Truth has required that the words 'dismay' and 'pmiic' should be used in the foregoing relation; but the terrible suddenness of the event, the instantaneous shock which broke up the Avenger in a moment, without the pre- paratory warning of * breakers a-head,' or the previous notice of rocks or shoals in sight, will more than account for the helplessness to which the crew were reduced. They had not time to brace up their shattered nerves. The noble bearing of the two lieutenants, Rooke and Marryat, cool as they were, and in fuU command of their energies in the midst of crasihng timbers and perishing men, places the character of the British seaman in its true light, and winds up our narrative with two more examples of naval heroism. o W i ^ O o a < m 5S Am w i o 05 SHIPWBECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY. 313 814 SHIPWRECKS OF THE EOYAL NAVY, I 0) ^ g Q 9i <0 V o o ^ o 5 js 5 I W5 Oi-tOTt''*:000(N'^iOvO O o CO o o si I IH? P.- (N CC Ttooooo;oT}«Qo-* «0 (N O (M T}< CO lO CO l-H 00 :* Tj< w 1— I ^O I— I I— I w ;o ^» a * ^ » V cs ' ^ I a ' '^ 'W CQ "H >H ~ I rO a "S Id lO to W3 ( U5 iC O^ . Th (N 00 C (N Ol C^ ^ I §J § :'=^ ^ ^ . a ^ w H^ P^ Q ^ a u C "«i1 t^ Q <3 -TOS CO CO c^ c^ (N s o '-* 22 00 o •-' ^ GO ■^ (N t>* 00 U5 CO c^ O fi -s r-H V 03 o od22 X O 00 o -^ « -s 8 X O • s s 1— ( CO l-H «o s 1— 1 ^ 1 GO 00 l-H f-H »v o wj 00 (N o • • 0) w i? o o fi • • 1- • • GO &! 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S i • •] BETWEEN 1793 AND 1850. 327 2 u 1 O 1 1-^ o i^ l-H .M e 2 ■e 8 4) s ,4 Ph ^ A4 fTj W5 CC (N --^ t>. f> JO J« qj "5 CO «5 «C O^ (M lO c^ t>. t>, I—" CO r-H r-H O ?3 22 ^ ^ S ® 2 f- CO as V 00 ifS to _' r-H rH l-H OS |P g o 00 Tf< l-H Oj CO t>. l-H —I ., GO .-H ""• nr 1>. ■— ' C^ 39 -^ rC (N '^ WS < ^ •-« OJ C J>» »^ Zf SR ^ Tf Q r-< r-.r-l(M'—r-Hj::j;S fa P^a^^Qoa g^ * o . •J g 0) 2 j5 o c4 O I C5 • p4 • rO o^ id " fS ei V ^ V « 9J' . &< • II ^1 § "-1^1 iJ 328 SHIPWRECKS OF THE llOYAL NAVY, o a 9i a o o V 0) o o Oi o o h > !» ^ g g fl c3 1— H •^ v ^ O O X •c S l« W cc Q I h^ El; g Q H? 60 Pi •c O O «0 rf GO O F- ^H I— I i;o ^H r}< CO O 00 Tf< W5 C^ r-< «c o o CO U5 ;=( « Tf 1— I I—I (N CO o 00 (X —I "^ '^ rr. «o '-!'-" GCr-l^^l^ X '-II— i^SSoO — ^ I— I I— I I— " "^ I— I CD - CO CO JO « <-r C^ <>> C^ rf 2 ^" S fe -^ S & Q I o c^ a a r£ 38 > 0) o o o BETWEEN 1793 AND 1850. 329 i O ^ <<-i a o *~i S 'd 2 i 1 ^ § ■1 ^ •\ i s ^ ^ -s 1 ^ fl m V o '« ^ t) be Hi ^ 1— < S J 3 5tt •5 d 1 «feO O V a> a —H ^ 1^ OJ C3 O -^^ i5 «5 O O CO in iz, S X _ to J; o 2^ cni CO ^ OC « 00 0#i CO u . 3 « ^ r-( r-c ^^ «QS^ • • • e. o . o £» ■ g « .1^ ri J S "^ isi ■-1 1* S cc cc C» (» a fl § . •<-> e~i 9 3 3 fl fl >5 5 o o h5 flO P3 &^ S « ig^ a o O ■«tj O '^ a o 5j (u S I -a P 0) GO rO A?A. «0 ,'* «5 ■* CO CO 0) o I t» c4 I i S-sJ-S § -« V 0) 43 ,a >. ;>. oj .tf ^ I a s . a; ^ d o a ^ - - 60 CD Oi 330 SHIPWRECKS OF THE ROYAL NAVY, m M 4 I ^ c U5 V .^ .a p O ^ 1 ^ >JC H» U «£ 00 i o I- K cu BETWEEN 1793 AND 1850. 331 U5 S g s O o l-H ?1 1—1 ;2;^ 12; I— I iO CM Oi . l-X l-H (M ■^ t>. IQ y? W CO II « W p p •-9 H M 00 GO (M O p l-H (>j e, >— I P— I >— ' .CO o 91 a "3 p « o -§ 12. o^ ^ j° o6 ^ jO "5 (N I— I Oi n-< I— I I— I (M ^O^OOJO-^^OCOCX) t>. I-H CO O ■<*< (N 00 i I 3 GO 1^ 2J «o QoGo,X-.rMj:;2;oDj:? l-H "^ l-H ^ „ I— • " ,^- c *« ss lo" «r •^ '-^* GO OS o o 00 o >-i CO :-; .V I—" o ""t ,_4 l>« l-H I— I I— I 1—1 l-H CO fli w '^ > ^^> bO .^ > o I o 1-9 O P4 l-« pfcl o o I ^ INDEX. Active 229 ff"^ Ill to 120 f'<^8*e 208 to 229 Amherst, Lord, 208, 211 to 213, 227 Amphion 2 5 f'*^"" 126 to 135 Anthony, Mr., master 18 to 23 fP°"» 65 to 64 Athenienne 91 to 97 f*^^^"« 174,175 Austm, Lieut 260, 264, 266 ■J^^^nger 300 to 8.2 Ayling, Mr., master's assistant, 302 Baker, Admiral 288 Baker, Capt. Charles ... 230 to 241 Baker, Lieut 74 Bainbridge, Lieut 37 41 42 Baird, Sir David '24 Baltrum, island of 2I Banks, Lieut 65, 67 to 69, 71 ^'^^^^rer 143 to 150 Barker, Capt. Scoiy 5 Barrett, Capt. John I54 to 159 Betts, Mr., second master 301 Bewick, Lieut i^q Bertram, Capt. Charles... 193 to 200 Blackwood, Capt. the Hon. Sir „ Henry m, 113, ii9, 120 Bland, Capt. Otway 107 to 111 Bie, island of 144 Bingham, son of Capt 283 Bird, Mr [ 261 Bones, Mr., gunner.., 159 Booth, Lieut 240 J^^eas .135 to 141 Boyd, Capt. R. M 119 Boyne " j Broughton, Capt. William ... 32 Brown, John j^g Buddie, Mr., midshipman ... 30, 31 Burgess, Capt. Samuel... 277 to 289 Burke, Francis, purser's steward, 68 Cabrera, island of. 35 Cape Town .......'.'.'.' ' 25 30 Callam, Mr., master's mate... 68 to 60 _ 62 Carrysfort ►_ Cerigotto 98 Chaussey, isle of 49 Chiffy, Mr., carpenter... 2I6 ColviUe, Capt. the Hon. John... 73 n 11 75 to 80 Connolly, seaman 28 Cook, Mr., boatswain ... 57 S'^'^''^"* 150'tol54 S,"'''y 172 to 174 Uuracoa >» Cuxhaven Jq 17 S**^^^"« 191, 193 Dean, Lieut 3^ Jff'^"*'^ 172,T74yi7'6tol79 Dixon, Capt 57^ gg Donaldson, Mr., master 119 ^"^^^ 230 to 241 Drake, Mr., purser 285 Duckworth, Vice-Admiral ' Sir John 111 Duff, Lieut. Archibald 39 Duncan, Lord og Dundas, Hon. G. H. L .^" 33 Dunlap, Robert ," 7 g Edwards, Capt. Valentine ... 24, 32 Do. Son of. ' 31 334 INDEX. PAGE Egeria 183 Ellis, Mr. Henry 209, 213 Esquerques, or Shirki 92 Fama 169 Fanshawe, Capt 182 Fiddes, Mr., carpenter 247 Firefly 290, 299 Flora 107 to 111 Frisk 82 Fury 241 to 266 Galloway, Comm. James... 200, 201 Galvin, Mr., master's-mate ... 5 to 7 Gaspar, Straits of. 209 Geach, Mr,, boatswain 281 Goliath 83 Gordon, Capt. James Alex 228 Grasshopper 182 to 184, 228 Grappler 49 to 64 Grenville, Hon. Thomas 10, 11 Grey, Captain George 1 Guion, Captain Daniel 170, 174 Hamilton, Lieut 280, 286, 287 Hannois Bocks 135 Harvey, Lieut, (now Rear-Ad- miral) 68 to 63 Hay, Lieut 217, 221 Hayes, Mr,, midshipman 68 Hecla 242 to 269 Hemmings, Mr,, midshipman... 137 Hero 186 to 186 Hick, Lieut 212 Hills, William 302, 306 Hindostan 64 to 71 Hirondelle 141 to 143 Hooper, Mr 244, 247 Hoppner, 244, 266, 259, 260, 263 264 Hoppner, Lieut 213 Howe, Lord 35 Hunter, Capt. John 81 Mat Impetueux 83, 84 Invincible 43 to 48 Jones, Lieut, Hon. Alex., 24, 32 to 84 Jupiter 26, 27 Keith, Vice-Admiral Lord ... 85, 40 Kidd, Lieut. Joseph 142 Kirkhurst, Admiral 78 Larcom, Mr,, gunner 302, 305 Lavender, Mr. James 152 Lawton, Mr., gunner 68 Le Gros, Capt 64 to 66, 69 Lennard, seaman 234 Lewis, Mr,, clerk 65 Lockyer, Lieut. Nicholas 141 Louis, Sir John 93 Luttrell, Mr,, midshipman 137 Lydiard, Capt, Charles ...126 to 128 131 to 136 Maclean, Mr., mate.,, 272, 273, 276 276 M'Leod, Mr 214 M'Cabe, Mr,, surgeon's mate... 68 M'Donnell, Lieut. Julius, 290 to 299 Magpie 267 to 276 Maitre Inle gg Maitland, Capt. the Hon, Fred, 199 Malcohn, Mr., master's assist, 294 to 297 Manners, Mr , 157 Marryat, Lieut 302 Martin, Capt 84 Mason, Mr, Thomas, clerk 152 Mayne, Mr., master 213 Maxwell, Capt, Murray, 191 to 193 209 to 230 Meldrum, Mr,, gunner's mate.,, 268 271 to 276 Mends, Mr., midshipman 286 Mercury ' 228 INDEX. BSS PAoa 83,84 48 to 48 9x., 24, 32 to 84 26,27 Lord... 85, 40 142 78 302, 306 162 68 .. 64 to 66, 69 234 66 )las 141 98 )man 137 B ...126 to 128 131 to 136 272, 273, 275 276 214 'a mate... 68 us, 290 to 299 ...267 to 276 60 on. Fred. 199 r's assist. 294 to 297 167 302 84 lerk 162 213 Y, 191 to 193 209 to 230 'smate... 268 271 to 276 an 286 228 S'""**""- 164to769 Mogg, Mr 244 Mondego, Cape ' 57 Moiike, Capt. Paris 160 to 168 Moray, Capt 203 Morley, James 302, 304, 306 Muller, Lieut. Henry 141 Munroe, Daniel ' 7 3 Napier, Capt. Chas. G. E. 300, 301 ?»"*'1"8 98 to 107 Sf'^'- 263 Nelson, Lord g^ Nesbitt, Lieut "99 jQg Newark, Island of ... 12, 13, 16^ 17 Newman, Capt \g^ Nicholls, Mr., master 195 Nicholson, Lieut 32 Nopps, Mr., master's assistant 291 298,299 Norris, Lieut 194 ^y"Pl> .""16O to 168 Oldenburg 23 Otway, Lieut 286 Owen, John 302^ 304 Owen, Mr., surgeon 119 Overyssel « Pakenham, Capt. Edward 8 Pakenham, Capt. the Hon W... 187 P 11 1^8 tr^ 160 to 168 Palmer, Capt 93 Pandora jgg Parker, Vice-Admiral " 2 PaiTy, Sir Edward 241 to 266 Pater, Capt 174 Pauri, Island of jqo Pearce, Mr,, gunner gs Pell, Lieut. Watkin Owen 228 Pellew, Capt. Isaac 3 ^®»elope 200 to 208 PAOB 200 J®™»*° 193 to Peyton, Vice-Admiral Piatt, John j7^ ^™«' **'• 294," 296^ 299 Price, Lieut 194 jgg Prince, William ..* _' 133 Pringle, Rear- Admiral 33 Proby, Mr., midshipman [ 53 Proserpine '{'q\^ 33 Providence 32 Pulfer, Mr., carpenter 247, 264 Pulo Leat, Island of. ,' 209 Queen Charlotte 2, 86 to 42 Rackum, Mr., boatswain q Raynsford, Capt. Robert, 92, 96, 97 Reeve, Lieut jjg Rennie, Capt 43/44^ 46 Resistance 8 to 10 Reynolds, Rear- Admiral, 170, I72 i>-^, T. 174,179,180,182 Ridley, Lieut 14 Robert, Mr. J3Q ^°™"«y 78"to80 Rooke, Lieut., 302, 303, 305, 308 312 Rosas, Bayof. 7Q Ross, Lieut 260 Rounden Head . . o t ^^'-^^ ISrJ"'°]'.e» Runice, Mr., surgeon 53 Russell, Rear- Admiral 78 79 St. George 168 to 182 ^^<^anha 187 to 191 Salsford, Lieut 157 jgg Salter, Lieut ' 97 Saumarez, Admiral Sir James] Sceptre 24 to 34 Scott, Capt. Robert... 136, 138, 140 S36 INDEX. U] PAOR Scott, Thomau 9 Seringapatain 24 Shaw, Mr., master's mate 31 Sheemess 86 to 91 Shelling, Rock 107 Shelton Churchyard 177 Sherer, Lieut 264 Shippard, Alex., Capt. ... 143, 160 Sibthorpe, Lieut 119 Simpson, Mr., boatswain 136 Smith, Geoige, coxswain 100 Smith, Lieut. Edward ... 267 to 273 Snell, Lieut. Robert 155, 168 Sorelli Rocks 309 Spinks, Mr., midshipman 31 Stanley, Lieut 236 Staudley, Mr., master's assistant, 68 Steel, Dr 302, 306 Stewart, Lieut. Allen 228 Stewart, Lieut 35, 40, 41 Stokes, Lieut. Henry 152 Stuart, Lord George... 32, 86 to 91 Surinam 47 Swaffield, Capt 3 Swan, Lieut 87 Swift 32, 33 Swinburne, Lieut. 97 Table Bay 25 Tailour, Lieut 64, 65 to 71 Talbot 187, 188 FlOB Tartarus 33 Taylor, Major 10 Teasel, Ralph I76 Tellequist, Major-Qeneral 178 Temple, Capt. Johb 160 to 164 Tenedos, island of. 118 Temate 226 Thetis ;.. 277 to 289 Thomas, Lieut. Abel 49 to 54 Todd, Capt. James 35, 37, 41 Tomlinson, Mr,, boatswain 166 Topping, Lieut 169 Totty, Rear-Admiral 43 to 46 Tremendous 33 Tribune 6 to 4 Tucker, Mr., midshipman 29 Tucker, Lieut. Robert 46 to 48 Turner, Mr., boatswain 235 Venerable 81 to 86 Walker, Lieut 166 Wallis, Capt. James 10 to 23 Warner, Mr., midshipman 88 Weaver, Lieut. John 162 West, Capt. engineers 291 Whitney, Mr. (consul) 60 Willoughby, Sir Neblit, 116, 121 to 125 Wilson, seaman 271, 273 Wilson, Mr., master's assistant, 286 Witson, Lieut 68 THE KND. PlOE 83 10 176 eral 178 .... 160 to 164 118 228 ..".. 277 to 289 49 to 64 36,37.41 wain 166 169 43 to 46 33 6 to 4 lan 29 46 to 48 235 81 to 86 166 10 to 23 onan 88 162 291 60 t, 116, 121 to 126 271, 273 issistant, 285 68