^, ^^^ Q *»<>..>^< IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A 1.0 I.I 11.25 Li|2j8 |Z5 !if no 12.0 I u 1^ ■> 7 /A PhotDgraphic Sdences Corporaiion 33 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 4 '4> 4^' 'V- '<^^^ ''^■y.^ ,y errata ed to int ne pelure, ipon A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 , ( NARRATIVE OF THE LOSS OF HIS MAJESTY'S PACKET ON AN ISLAND OP ICE IN THE ATLAK'PIC OCEANj 28th of JUNE 1803: •^ ' litlTH A'fAkTlCVLAMAcioUHtOrrHt'i Providential Efcape of the Crew in Two open Boats* \ By WILUAM D0RS£T FELtOWES, Esq^ Commanper. DEDICATE? ny PtlRMlSSlONj RIGHT HON. l.^E IH)STM4STER GENERAL. ■■' < i V Z:^ HontiAn : .■\ • Iaimtio rbn johh stockdAle, piccadilliTw Price One ShiUing anti SixpeneCf. , . , ' t» i. S.GngNBLL, Printer, Uttlc Queen Strect> Holbom. INTRODUCTION. On his Majeftys Service, i St. John's, Newfoundland, July 9, 1803. SlR,^j ]l£ is with extreme concern I have the honour to inform you of the total lofs of his Majcfty*a Packet Lady Hobart, under my command, on the morning of the 28th Jime, at fea, in lat, 46^33' north, and long. 44* 00' weft from Green- wich, on an iflaad of ice. The accompanying Narrative of our proceed** ings, from the time of the (hip's foundering, will, I truft, be a fufficient teftimony to their Lord- fhips, that no exertion on my part, or that of my ofBccrs and fhip's company, was wanting, both as to preferving the ftiip from linking, as well as the total impoflibility of faving the dilpatches. A 2 ( 4 ) The fufFerlngs and hard (hips undergone by us all, have been indeed greater than it is poiTibIc * /^i /> ^f for my p6n to defcriberf '■: . ■ ; X I truft their Lordfhips will approve of what I liave confidered it my duty to do by thefe unfbr- tunatemen. , * ;> ^^! .1 ;. * 9 ,' ( 5 ) f Brigadier-general Skerritt has been fo kind as to give us quarters in the garrifon, and has iHued rations for our fupport, as well as maintenance to Halifax, a*, the expenfe of Government, for which I fhall give receipts. I fhould be wanting in gratitude were I not to make particular mention of the kind and humane attentions wc have all experienced from General Skerritt, the officers of the garrifon, and many of the inhabitants of St. John*s. 1 have the honour to remain Your mod obedient Servant, William Dorset Ff.llowec- jP. Free'fmg, Efq. General Poft Office, z8th Augiift 1803. Dear Sir, Having laid your affedting and interefiing Narrative before my Lords the Poflmaflcr Ge- neral, I am commanded to (end you a copy of tBeir Lordfhips* minute thereon. , r ( * ) I affurc you I enter fully into all their Lord* fliips* feelings for your paft fufFcringSyand enter- tain the fame fenfe of your patience, fortitude, and perfeverance ; and I beg you to believe I have pleafure in witneffing the promotion which has fo quickly fucceeded the moment of your diffi- culties and dangers. My Lords cannot fail io take into their fa- vourable coniideration the very meritorious con- duS. of your officers and crew. Believe me with great regard. Dear Sir, Cap fain Fello'sves. Yours moft faithfully, F. Fr EEL INC. We have perufed this Report with a mixed fentiment of fympathy and admiration. Wc arc fatisfied, that in the lofs of the Packet and of the public correfpondence, no blame is imputable to Captain FcUowcs, to his officers, or to his fea^ 5 ( 7 ) men. In their exertion after the fhip had llruck en the floating mafs of ice, and in their fubfe- quent conduc^i, they ap))ear to have (hewn all the talents and virtues which can diAinguilh the naval charadler. Let a proper letter be written in our names to the friends and family of the very worthy French officer who perifhed. And we fhall be folicitous to learn the entire recovery of the other pafTen* gers, who met fuch dangers and fufferings with the moft exemplary fortitude . Mr. Frceling will return the Narrative to Cap- tain Fellowes, with our perroiilion to him to communicate it to his friends ; or, if he fhall think proper, to give it to the public. It cannot fail to imprefs on the minds of all who may read it, the benefit of religion and the confolatlon of prayer under the preflure of calamity ; and alfo an awful lenfe of the interpoiition and mercies of Providence, in a cafe of extreme peril and ^ifirefs. To feamen it will more efpecially Ihevv that difcipline, order, gencrofity of mind, goo4 ( 8 ) frmpcf, inTiiiJiil U::)cvolcnrc, and patient cxcr* lion, arc, nuiicr \\\c favour of Heaven, tlic bcft fafcguavdb in a)l ihtir dillkuUics. With rcfpcf\ to Captain FeUowcs, wc feci highly gratified in having it in our power fo jmmcdi.iloly to give to him a promotion, which we i)ave reafon lo believe will be particularly ac- CiiptaLle. ( . ■ ■ (Signed; Augujl 16, 1803. Auckland. C, Si'LNCEB. 7. t * . > ( L iSi lit 4\ -J 'i lu.'l Iii:. ,V..Tr :).\i "lo ,*/,:i:c| JA .re: •. '; r 'J ; •:-:rr' .) .• r\ ^• : NARRATIVE. .'••ii;i •;•> •; 'v-In the 22dof June 1803, Wc fatlcd from Halii- fax for England, fleering a courfe to the fouth- ward and eadward, to clear Sahle liland. On the 24th, hauled to the northward, to pafs over the northern part of the Great Bank of Newfound- land, with the intention to keep well to the northward, that we might therehy ayoid the fcnemy's cruifers. ' On the a6th, at feven A. M. being then on the I gave the prize in charge to Lieutenants John Little, and William Hughes, of his Majefiy's navy (who were paffengers in the Lady Hobart, and who moft handfomely volunteered their fervices); with them I fent two of our own feamen, and two prifoners, to aflift in navigating the prl: \ At ten A. M. faw two fchooners ahead ; fired a. gpq, an4 brought them to : on finding them to be Englilh, and bound to St. John's, I divided the French prifoners between them, excepting the capiain^ mate^ and one boy, the captain'^ ( n ) mphew, who requeued very earneAly to remain on board the Packet. Tuefdayy a8M June, — Blowiiig hard from the weflward, with a heavy fea and hazy weather, with intervals of thick fog. About one in the morning, the fhip then going by the log at the rate of feven miles an hour, Aruck againfl; an iiland of ice, with fuch violence, tliat feveral of the crew were pitched out of their hammocks. Being rottfed out of my Jleep hy thefuddennefs of the Jhock^ linflantly ran upon deck. The helm be- ing put hard a-port, the fhip flruck again about the cheft-tree, and then fwung round on her heel, her llern-poil: being dove in, and her rudder carried away, before we could fucceed in our at- tempts to haul her off. At this time the ifland of ice appeared to hang quite over the ihip, forming a high peak, which muil: have been at lead twice the height of our mad head ; and we fuppofe the length of the ifland to have been from a quarter to half a mile. % z m .' The iba' w^ ^low breaklug oyer. tliB icmiti H dreadful manner^ the water rttOking in fo fsStsoi to fill the hold in a few minutes. Hove the ^iis iyYetbioiitii, out away the anchors firom flie bows, got Iw^ Ms under the ^ip^s bottom,' kepft both puhip^ going, and baling with bucketa' at tbe main'^hatchway, in the hope ol" preventing' her from finking ; but in lets than a quarter of an: hour fhe fettled down to her fore-chiUDS ixi^ the water* • "^ '•'- ■> • --'^ Our fituation was now become moil: perilous.. Aware of the danger of a moment's dday in hoift-^ ing out the boats, I confulted Captain Thomas' • ■ - , of the navy, and Mr. Bargus, my malVcr, as to the propriety of making any further efforts to favc the" ihip; and as I was anxious to preferve the maif| I requefted their opinion as to the poflibility of taking it into the boats in tbe event of^our being able to get them over the ihip's fide. Thdfe gentlemen agreed with me, that no time was ttt be loll in hoifting them out^ and that, aathe vef- fel was then fettling faft, our firfl an4 only con- iideration was to endeavour to prcferve the crew* •^ I "''And here I inuft pay that iributc of jM-aifc' \fhkh the fteady difcipHne and good condui5l of every one on board fo juftly merit. From the firft moment of the (hip's ftriking, not a word was uttered expreffive of a delire to leave the wreck : my drdets "were promptly obeyed ; and though the dangec of periihing was every infJant' increafing, each man waited for his turn to get into the boats with a coolncfs and compofurc that could not be furpaflcd. ; • Having fortunately fucceeded in hoifling out the cutter and jolly-boat, tlie fea then running high, we placed the ladies in the former. One of them, Mifs Cotenham, was fo terrified, that ihe fprung from the gunwale, and pitched into the bottorh of the boat with confiderable vio- lence. This accident, which might have been produ6live of fatal confcquences to herlclf, as well as to us all, was unattended by any bad effects.' -The few provifions which had been faved from the men's births were then put into the boats, which were quickly veered aftern. By this time the main deck 'f^orward was under ( «4 ) water, and nothing but the quarter deck appear^ ed : I then ordered my men into the boats, and having previously lafhed iron pigs of ballad to the mail, it was thrown overboard. I '■ t I now perceived the fhip was linking faft ; I called out to the men to haul up and receive me, intending to drop my^zU into the cutter from the end of the tryikil boom, fearing fhe might be (love under the counter ; and I deiired Mr. Bargus, who continued with me on the wreck, to go over firft. In this indance he replied, that he begged leave to difobey my orders ; that he mud fee me fafe over before he attempted to go himfelf. Such conduA, and at fuch a mo- ment, requires no comment; but I ihould be Wanting to myfelf, and to the fervice, if I did not faithfully flate to their Lordfhips every cir- cumftance, however trifling: and it is highly fatisfadlory to me to have this opportunity of re- cording an incident fo honourable to a merito- rious officer. The fea was running fo high at the time we c c t ( '5 ) hoifted out the boats, that I fcarcely flattered snyfelf we fhould get them out in fafety ; and indeed, nothing but the fleady and orderly con- du6l of the crew could have enabled us to effect fo difficult and hazardous an undertaking: and it is a iufiice to them to obferve, that not a man in the fhip attempted to make ufe of the liquor, which every one had in his power. Whilft the cutter ^as getting out, I perceived one of the fcamen (John Tipper) emptying a demijean, or bottle, containing live gallons, which, on in- quiry, I found to be rum. He laid that he was emptying it for the purpofe of filling it with water from the fcuttle cafk on the quarter deck, which h^d been generally filled over night, and which was then the only frefb water to be got at : it became afterwards our principal fupply, I lelate this circumflance as being fo highly credit- able to the cbaradler of a Britifh Tailor. )f re- leritQ- k we We had fcarce quitted the fhip, when fhe fud- denly gave a heavy lurch to port, and then went down head foremoft. I had orderisd the colours tp be hoiHed at the m^in-tppgallantmail-h^^ j, 3 I' I' .'!i [wiih the unton downwards, as a fignal ot diT* itrefs) that if nny vedbl ihould happen to be near to us at the dawn of day, our calamitous lituation might be perceived from her, and ihe might afford us relief. • /d) oi ^U'f^ dif- to be nltoiis ndfhe : ]', when be the id, the nfpicii- S) C3ft- re goes great It thfrt fdence, fwal- [itudes trials lOUftf. r, and a reliance upon a good Providence, enabled us to endure our calamity ; and we animated each other with the hope of a better fate. While we were employed in deliberating about our future arrangements, a curious circumftance occurred, which, as it was productive of conli- derable unealinefs to us all, deferves to be par- ticularly mentioned here : at the moment when the ihip was linking, ihe was furrounded by what feamen term a fchool^ or .^n incalculable number of whales, which can only be accounted for by their beins^ known, at this particular fea- fon, to take a diredtion for the coaft of New- foundland, in quefl: of a fmall fifh, called Cape- land, which they devour. We were extremely apprehenlive, from their near approach to the boats, that they might flrike and materially da- mage them ; fVequent inftances having occurred in that fiftiery of boats being cut in twain by the violence of a fingle blo^ from a whale : we therefore Ihouted, and ufed every effort to drive them away, but without efFedl: ; they continued, as it then feeraed, to purfue us, and remained c ( 'i ) 4 i about the boats for the fpace of half an hour^ when, thank God ! they difappeared without having done us any injury. ''t-i h Having at length lurmounted dangers and dif- iicuhies which baffle all defcription, we rigged the foremafl^, and prepared to fhapc our courie in the bed manner that circumflances would admit of, the wind blowing from the prccife point on which it was neceflary to fail, io reach the neareft land. An hour had fcarcely elap^ from the time the fhip flruck, till flir* foundered, ' The diilribution of the crew had already been . made in the following order, which we after- wards preferved. ■< J I In the cutter, of the following dimenfions, viz. twenty feet long, fix feet four inches broad, and two feet fix inches deep, were embarked three ladies and myfelf ; Capi Richard Thomas, of the navy; the French commander of the fchooner; the matter's mate, gunner, Reward, carpenter, and eight fcamen ; in all eighteen people; which, together vi^ith the provilions. ■4 :o ( 19 ) brought the boat's gunwale dovvu to within fix or feven inches of the water. From this con- fined fpace, fome idea may be formed of our crowded ilate ; but it is fcarcely poffible for the imagination to conceive the extent of our fuffer- ings in confequence of it. i ^-c'v be In the jolly-boat, fourteen feet from ftem to Aern, five feet three inches broad, and two feet deep, were embarked Mr. Samuel Bargus, maf- ter; Lieut. Col. George Cooke, of the ifl reg. of guards ; the boatfw^n, failmaker, and (cycn feamcn ; in all eleven perfons. VIZ. and Ithrcc is, of the 'ard, litcetl ions, I ' The only provifions we were enabled to fave confided of between forty and fifty pounds of bifcuit :, one demijean, or vefTel, containing five gallons of water ; a fmall jug of the fame, and part of a fmall barrel of fpruce beer ; one demi- jean of rum, a few bottles of port wine, with two compafles, a quadrant, a fpy^glafs, a fraall tin mug, and a wine-glafs. The deck lantern, which had a few fpare candles in it, had been likewife thrown into the boat, and the cook c 2 ( »o ) 'i i| liaving had the precaution to fecure his tinder- box, and fome matches tbit were kept in a bladder, we were afterwar. <;nab)ed tp Aeer by night. ;J hfV Thr wind was now blowing flrong from th^ weft ward, with a heavy fea, and the day had juft dawned. Eilimating ourfelves to be at the diflance of 330 miles from St. John's, in Newfoundland, with a profpedl of a continuance of vveflerly winds, it became at once neceflary to ufe the ftridlell economy. I reprefented to my companions in difirefs, that our refolution, once made, ought on no account to be changed ; and that we muft begin by fufTering privations, which I foreikw >vould be greater than I ventured to explain. To each perfon, therefore, were ferved out half a bilcuit, and a glafs of wine, which was th^ only allowance for the enfuing twenty-four liours, all agreeing to leave the water untouched as long as poflible. During the time we were employed in getting out the boats, I had or- (Icrc^l the m after to throw the main hatch tar- paulinginto the cutter; which being afterwards I ; » ( " ) tindcr- :>t in a to Acer om t^^ lad juft liftatice ndland, ^ winds, ftridlcll ions in , ought ve muft foteikw explain, out half was the; ity-four touched ^e were bad or- tch tar- erwards cut into lengths, enabled us to form a tempo • Tary bulwark againfl: the waves. I had alfo re- minded the carpenter to carry with him as many tools as he could \ he had accordingly, among other things, put a few nails in his pockets, and we repaired the gunwale of the cutter, which had been ftove in hoi fling her out. Soon after daylight we made fail, with the jolly-boat in tow, and flood clofe- hauled to the northward and weftward, in the hope of reaching the coaft of Newfoundland, or of being picked up by fome vefll'l. PaflTed two iflands of ice, nearly as large as the firfl. We now faid prayers, and returned thanks to God for our deliverance. At noon, obferved in lat. 46° 33' north ; St. John's bearing about W. | N. diftant 350 miles. Wednefday, June 29. — This day was ufhered in with light variable winds from the fouthward and eaflward. We had pafled a long and flecp- lefs night, and I found myfelf, at the dawn of day, with twenty -eight perfons looking up to me with anxiety for the dire<51ion of our couHe, as well as 'for the diflribution of their (canty ' ( " ) allowance. On examining our provKions, we found the bag of bifcuit much damaged by fait water; it therefore became neceiTary to curtail the allowance^ to which precaution all cheer- fully afTcntcd. It was at this moment that I became more alive to all the horrors of pur iituatiou. We all returned tl)anks for our pad mercies, and offered up prayers for our fafety. ,, A thick fog foon after came on ; it continued all day with heavy rain, which as we had np means of colle^ing, afforded us no relief. Ou? crowded and expofed lituation was now ren^ dered more diftrefling, from being thoroughly wet, no one having been permitted to take more than a great coat or a blanket, with the clothes on his back. ■ •■.} : : Kept the oars in both boats going confiantly^ aad fleering at W. N. W. courfe.-^All hands anxioufly looking out for a ilrange fail. At noon ferved a quarter of a bifcuit and a glafs ( »J ) of rum to each pcrfon. St. John's bore W. by N; ^ N. diilant 310 miles. No obfervation. One of the ladies again read (>rayers to us, particu- larly thofe for delivery after a ilorm, and thofc for fafety at Tea. Thurfiiay^ June 30. — At daybreak we were alt io benumbed with wet and extreme cold, that half a glafs of rum, and a mouthful of bifcuit,' were ferved out to each perfon : the ladles, who had hitherto refufed to tafte the fpirits, were> now prevailed upon to take the flatcd allow- ance, which afforded them immediate relief, and enabled them the better to refift the feverity of the weather. The fea was moftly calm, with thick fog and fleet ; the air raw and cold : we' had kept at our oars all night, and we conti- nued to row during the whole of this day. The jolly-boat having unfortunately put off from the- fhip with only three oars, and having but a fmall fail, converted into a forefail from a top- gallant fieeringfail, without needles or twine, we were obliged to keep her conftantly in tttw»" The cutter alio having loft two of her oars in' ! 1,1 hoifting out, was now fo deep in the watet^ that with the lead fea Ihe made little way, fo that we were not enabled to profit much by the light winds. 'f Some one from the jolly-boat called out that there was part of a cold ham, which had not been difcovered before: a fmall bit, about the lize of a nutmeg, was fmmediately fervcd out to each perfon, and the remainder was thrown overboard, as I was -earful of its increaling our thirfi^, which we had not the means of af- fuaging. At noon we judged ourfclves to be on the north-eaflern edge of the Grand Bank, St. John's bearing W. by N. i N. diilant 246 miles. No obfcrvation. Performed divine fcrvice, '• 7- " « # . Friday, July I. — During the greater part of the laft twenty-four hours it blew a hard gale of wind from the weft-fouth-weft, with a heavy confufed fea from the fame quarter ; thick fog watet^ vay , fo by the )ut that ad not )Ut the ed out thrown ing our of af. on the ik, St. nt 246 divine part of rd gale heavy ick fog ( ^5 ) and fleet throughout; the weather exceffively cold, for the fpray of the fea freezing as it flew over the boats, rendered our iltualion truly de- plorable. It was at this inue that we all felt a moft painful depreflion of fpirits : the want of novirilhqient, and the continued cold and wet weather, had rendered us almoft incapable of exertion. The very confined fpace in the boat •would not allow of our flretching our limbs; and fcveral of the men, whofe feet were conii- derably fwelled, repeatedly called out for water. On my reminding them of the refolution we had made, and of the abfolute neceffity of our per- fevering in it, they acknowledged the jufiice and propriety of my refufal to comply with their delire, and the water remained untouched. ■ '>! 7( At the commencement of the gale we ftood to the northward and weftward ; but the cutter was fo, low in the water, and had fhipped fo much fea, that we were obliged to caft off the jolly-boat's tow-rope, and we very foon loft fight of her in the fog. This unlucky circumstance was produdlivc of the utmofl; diftrefs to us all. ;; ■' f\ r. ( 1<5 ) We had been rouftd to cK^tioti ftmh a doiibl% tnotive ; and the uncertainty of our ietet meeting again the companions of our ndisfortuned, pro^ duced in us the moft lively afflidlion. I'o add to the mifery of our lituation, we lofl with tb^ boat not only a coniiderable part of our (lores, but with them our quadrant and fpy-gkfs. At about four A. M. the gale intr^alingy with a prodigious heavy fea, we- brought the cutter to by heaving the boat's fail loofe over the bow, and veering it out with a rope bent to each yard- arm, which kept her head to the fea, Ifi) as to break its force before it reached us. In the courfe of this day there were repeated exclamations of a flrange fail, although Ikne^ it was next to an impoflibility to difcern any thing, owing to the thicknefs of the fog; yet they were urged from the fcveral &amen with fuch apparent certainty of their objccSl, that I was induced to put the boat before the wiiid to convince them of their error ; and as I ihtn ikW in a very ftrong point of view the confcquenocs of fuch deviations, I took occalion to remoa** 3 leeting , pro- add th \ht (lores, B. At mih a tter to ; bow, 1 yard- b Bd to m peated kudir n any g; yet 1 with that I ntid to uenoes ( *7 ) iilrate with them upon thQ fubjed ; I roprefented with J9il the force af^ which I was capable, that Ibe ,^preflioa ariiing from difappomtipent infl* nitcly overbalanced the momentary relief pro- ceeding from fuch delulive expectation, and I exhorted them not to allow fuch fancies to break out into expreiHon. Under all thefe circum- ilances, the ladies particularly, with a heroifm that no words can defcribe, afforded to us the beft examples of patience and fortitude, . We all joined in prayers, which tranquillized (pur minds, and afforded us the confolatory hope of bettering our concjitipn : on thefe pccaiions wc were all bare-headed, notwithftanding the jiieeffant fhowers. At noon 3t. John's bore W. byN. IN, diftant 148 miles, No obfer- vation. ^oorl ini (0 ' invli ■ Saturday, /^^ ;i.— It raipc^ h«rd : ^uripg the pight, and the cold became fq fpyere, that al- moft every one in the boat was Unable to move. Our hands and feet wer^e fo fwelkd, that many of them became quite black, qvyiiiig to our con- fined date, and the conftant expofurc to wet ( 88 ) and cold weather. At daybreak I fervcd out about the third of a wine-glafs of rum to each pcrfon, with a quarter of a bifcuit, and before noon a fmall quantity of fpruce beer, which afforded us great relief. ' !: "' During the firft part of this day, it blew flrong from the fouthward and weftward, with foggy weather ; towards noon, moderate breezes from the nuith ward and eaftward. At half paft eleven A. M. a fail was difco- vered to the eaftward, ftanding to the north- weft. Our joy at fuch a light, with the imme- diate hope of deliverance, gave us all n6w life. I immediately ordered the people to fit as clofe as poflible, to prevent our having the appear- ance of being an armed boat ; and having tied a lady*s fhavvl to the boat-hook, I raifed myfelf as well as I could, and, from the bow, waved it as long as my ftrength would allow me. Having hauled clofe to the wind, we n^ared each other faft, and in lefs than a quarter of an hour we perceived the jolly-boat. Our not T>v ili ( *9 ) having rccogmfed her fooner, was owing to an additional fail having been made for her, out of one of my bed Iheets , which had been acci- dentally thrown into the boat^ and was ^t as ji^ bonnet to the forefail. I cannot attempt to defciibe the various fen- fations of joy and difappointment, which were by turns exprefled on all our countenancfisi As foon as we approached th6 jolly-boat, we threw out to her a tow-rope, and bore away to the north-weft. ••• ■m We how mutually inquired into the ftate of our refpediive crews, after the late dreadful gale: thofe in the jolly boat had fufFered from fwelled hands arid feet, like ourfelves, and had under- gone great anxiety on our account, concluding us to have pcrifhed. The moft lingular circum- ftance was, their having fteered two nights with- out any light ; and our meeting again after fuch tempeftuous weather, could not have happened but from the interpofition of Providence. Feat- ing a limilar accident, we made a more l^^ual 1^ 1 1 (( .30 ) 4iAnbution of our provifion; ^pd having r«« ]Ccivsd from the jolly-boat two bpttles of wine 4Dil feme bifcuitj we gave them fomfi Tum ia reiuro- <: . ' ' ■ • . . ' Our hopes of deliverance had now been buoyed «p to the higheft pitch. The excitement Rrifing from our joy began perceptibly to Jofe its efTeft; ^^d to a flate of artificial flrength tUcceeded fuch » defpondency, that no entreaty, nor argMment, could roafe fome of the men even to the common exertions of making fail. .'u t i II i , To the French Captain, and feveral of the people who appeared to have fuffcred moft, I «fiow, for the firH time, ferved out a. wine glafs -full of water. I had carneftly cautioned the crew not to tafte the fait water, but fomc of thp -unhappy men had, ncverthelefs, taken large -draughts of it, and became delirious ; fomc were jfei^ed with violent cramps, and twitching of the domach and bowels. I again took occafipn to point out to the reft of them the extreme danger (?£ fuch indifcretion. ... ./.>.; i.,iuf!:l i. 'li of wine rum in ( 3» ) Pcrfofmcd divine fcnricc. At noon St. John's bore W. by N. J N. diftant no miles. No ob- fcrvatioh of the fun. ;n buoyed intariling itsefFeinas faw tic bird and, and is event bjng the < 35 ) land ; and all hands were eagerly employed in obfcrving what pafled the boats. About this time a beautiful white bird, web-footed, and not un- like a dove in fize and plumage, hovered over the n^aft'head of the cutter ; and notwithdanding ihe pitching of the boat, it frequently attempted to perch on it, and continued fluttering there until dark. Trifling as this circumflance may appear, it was confidered by us all as a propitious omen. The impreflive manner in which it left us, and returned to gladden us with its prcfence, awakened in us a fuperflition, to which failors are at all times faid to be prone : we indulged ourfelves on this occasion, with the mod confo- latory affurances, that the fame Hand which had provided this folace to ourdiftrefTes, would extri- cate us from the danger that furroundcd us. There being every reafon to conclude ourfelves well in with the land, the few that were able to move, were now called upon to make a laft ef- fort to fave their lives by rowing, and taking £ 2 .1 1 ( 36 ) vM advantage Qf the little breeze we then bad. It was flrongly urged to tbem, that, if the wind fhoiild come oft' the fliore in the morning, and drive iis to leeward, all efforts to regain it might then be tpo late ; as, independent of our (ccble ftate, the provifions, with every economy, could not laft more than i.vo days; and that the water, which had as yet remained untouched (excepting in the inrtances before mentioned), could not hold out much longer. We h-id now been fix days and nights, confiantly wet and cold, without any other luflenance than a quarter of a bifcuit and one wine-glafs of fluid for twenty-four hours. The :nen who had appeared totally indifferent as to their fate, fummoned up rcfolution, and as many as were capable of moving from the bottom of the boats, applied io the oars. Monday, \ih. As the day dawned, the fog became fo thick, that we could not fee very far from the boat. During the night we had been under the neceflity of calling off the jolly-boat's tow-rope, to induce her crew to exert themfclvcs by row- • ing. Wc again lofi. light of her, and I perceived i ( 37 ) (hat this unlucky accident was beginning to ex- cite great uneafinefs among us. W'c were now fo reduced, that the moft triflin<^ remark, or ex- clamation, agitated us very miicli. I therefore found it neccflary to caution the people againft being deceived by the appearance of land, or calling out *'ll we were quite convinced of its reality, more efpccially as fog-banks are often xnillaken for land. Several of the poor fellows, however, repeatedly exclaimed they heard break- ers, others the firing of guns ; and the founds we did hear refembled the latter fo much, that 1 concluded fome vcflel had got on fhore, and vva^^ making fignals of diftrefs : the noiie afterwards proved to be the blowing of whales, of which we faw a great number. Soon after daylight, the fun rofe in view for the fecond time lince we quitted the wreck. It is worthy of remark, that during the period of feven days, that we were in the boats, we never bad an opportunity of taking an obfcrvation, cither of ibe fun, moon, or flars, nor of drvin*! our clothes. The (og at length beginning to dif- ,1 .. , ( 38 ) pcrfc, we inftantly caught a glimple of the land, wthin a mile diflance, betweea Kettle Cove and Ifland Cove, in Conception Bay, fourteen leagues from the harbour of St. John's. Alnaoft at the fane moment we had the inexpreflible fatisfao- tion to difcover the jolly-boat, and a fchooncr in Ihore Handing off towards us. •fc. I wifh it were poffible for me to defcrihe our fcnlations at this intereiUng moment. From the conftant watching and fatigue, and from the languor and depreflion ariling from our exhauft- ed ftate, fuch accumulated irritability was broughc on, that the joy of a fpeedy relief af- fected us all in a raoft. remarkable way : many burd into tears, fome looked at each other with a ftupid flare, as if doubtful of the reality of what they faw; fevcral were in fuch a lethargic iiate, that no confoiation,, no animating lan- guage, ould roufe them to exertion. At this affecting period, though overpowered by my own f^ wlings, and impreffed with the re- collcdion of our fufferiags, and the light of fp I ( 39- ) many deplorable objedVs, I propofed to offer up our folemn thanks to Heaven for our mirai ulous deliverance. Every one cheerfully aflcnted ; and as foon as I opened the Prayer Book (which f had fecur^d the laft time I went down to my cabin), there was an univerfal lilence ; a fpirit of devo- tion was fo fingularly manifefted on this occa- lion, that to the benefits of a religious fcnie in uncultivated minds, muft be afcribed that dif- cipline, good order, and exertion, which even the light of land could fcarcely produce. The fervice being over, the people requefted to have a pint of grog each ; but, fearful of the confequenccs of fuch an indulgence, I mixed fome rum and water very weak, and diflributed to every one a fmall quantity. The fchooner being now within hail, and hav- ing made our iituation known, {he hove to, and received us on board ; our boats being taken in tow. The men could now with difficulty be retrained from taking large and repeated draughts of water, in conlcqucncc of which, fc- I'- C 40 ) veral felt great inconvenience from the fudden diftention of their ftomachs; but, by being after- wards more cautious, no other bad effeds fol- lowed. The wind having blown with great violence from off the coaft, wc did not reach the landing- place at Ifland Cove till four o'clock in the evening. All the women and children in the village, with two or three filhermen (the refl of the men being abfcnt), came down to the beach, and appearing deeply affe^led at our wretched iituation, aflilted in lifting us out of the veffel, and afterwards in carrying us up the craggy rocks ; over which we were obliged to pafs, to get to their habitations. »; '<• imm,i. It was a mofl fortunate circumflance for us, that we fell in with the land about Ifland Cove ; a very few miles further to the northward, the coafl is inaccellible, and lined with dangerous Teefs of rocks, which, if we had feen thera m the night, we fhould have pufhed for ; for our liluation having become fo dcfpcrate, I had re- t 'ill ( 41 ) folved to land at the firft place we could make : in that cafe w(s mud all have perifhed* ^ The different fifliing-huts were conftrudlpd of pine logs.The three l^dies^ Colonel Cooke, Captain Thomas, thp Maftjcr, and myfelf, were condu6led to the houfe of Mr. Lilly, a planter, who received us with great attention and humanity. This fmall village afforded neither medical aid nor fre(h provifions, of which we flood fo much in need ; potatoes and fait fifh heing the only food of the inhabitants. I determined, therefore, to lofe no time in proceeding to St. John's, having hired a fmall fchooner for that purpofe. On the 7 th of July We embarked in three divifions, placing the moft infirm in the fchooner ; the mafler's mate having charge of the cutter, and the boatfvvaia of the jolly-l^oat ; but fuch was the exhaufied ftate of nearly the whole party, that the day was conliderably advanced before we could get under weigh. At two P. M. made fail with the jolly-boat in tow, and the cutter in company, and ilood along 'Ill I; ( 41 ) the coafl: of Newfoundland with a favourable breeze. Towards duik it came on to blow hiavditi fqualls off the land, when we loft light of iht cutter, and we were obliged foon after to eomt to anchor, outfide of St. John's harbour. Wc were under great apprehenlions for the cutter'* fafety, as ihe had no grapnel, and left fhe fhould be driven out to fea : but at daylight we' perceived her and the fchooner entering the har- bour ; the cutter, as we afterwards learnt, having had the good fortune to fall in with a fifliing velTel, to which they made fa ft during the night. 4' The ladies, Colonel Cooke, Captain Thomas, and myfelf, condud^ed by Mr. Lilly in the jolly- boat, having left the fchooner when fhe anchor- ed, notwilhftanding the badnefs, as well as ex- treme darknefs of the night, reached the Ihoro about midnight. We wandered for fome time about the ftreets, there being no houfe open at that late hour ; but were at length admitted into a fmall houfe, where we pafled the remainder of the night on chairs, there being but one mifcr* able bed for the ladies. ( 43 ) •. Etfrly on the following day, our Circumflanccs being itiade known, hundreds of people crowded dawn to the landing-place : nothing could ex- ceed their furprife, on feeing the boats that had carried nine-and-twenty perfons fuch a diflance over a boiflerous fea ; and when they beheld fo many inilerable obje<5^s, they could not conceal their emotions of pity and concern. 1 waited on Brigadier-general Skerrit, who commanded the garrifon) and who immediately, upon being in- formed of our iituation, ordered down a party of foldiers to take the people out of the boats, and with the utmoft kindncfs and humanity diredl- cd beds and every neceflary article to be pre- pared for the crew. "the greateft circumfpeftion was found nccef- fary in adminiftering nouriihment to the raen. Several of the crew were fo much froft-bil* ten, as to require conflant furgical afliflancc ; and it was determined they fhould continue at St. John's, until they were in a fit ftate to be tranfported to Halifax : I hired o, fchooncr for that purpofe. ( 44 ) ~ Being dnxlous to return to England, I engag- ed the cabin of a fmall vefTel bound to Oporto ; ^nd on the nth of July I embarked with Mrs. Fellowes, Colonel Cooke, Captain Thomas/ Mr. Bargus the mafler, and the Colonel's fervant, who, during the vojage home, lofl feveral of his toes, in confequence of what he had fufTered* The maker's mate was left in charge of the fhip's coLipany, and was dire<5ted to conduct them to Halifax; whence tiiey would be en- abled to return by the firft opportunity to their own country. After taking leave of our hofpitable friends at St. John's, and after recommending to their pro- tc61ion the companions of our hardfhips, we put to fea with favourable weather. During a voy- age of fifteen days we had a few difficulties to encounter, fuch as pumping continually, the veflel having fprung a leak in a gale of wind ; and we were obliged to throw overboard a conlidcr- able quantity of her cargo of falt-fifti. . On the 26th of July we fell in with an American Ihip, the Briflol Trader, of New 3 ( 45 ) York. The owner, Mr. William Cowley, being told our dillreffed fituation, and that we had been fhipwrecked, immediately hove to, and, with a benevolence and humanity that will ever refiedl the higheft honour on his charadler, re- ceived us on board, and brought us fafe to Bridol ; where we had the happinefs to arrive on the 3d of Auguft. 01' ': i Names of the Shifs Company, &c. of his Maje/tys Packet Lady Hob art, faved hy the Boats. Names. William Dorfet Fellovves, Efq. Mr. Samuel Bargus, Mr. Robert Jenkins, Peter Germain, Benjamin Saule, John Gard, Francis Lambrick, Thomas Bell, Edward Roberts, - . Richard Harris, Jphn Harris, John Andrew, John Anderfon, P. Martin, John Tipper, Station, '-^tjzi: Commander. Mafter. Mafter*s Mates, GUiiner. Boatfvvain. Carpenter. Sail-maker. Ship^s Cook. Captain's Steward. Do. Servant. Seaman. Do. Do. Do. Do. il { it» ) ) a 'I.U.I if .'...'. Sution* I %iUi»n[v,Trip;id