EitC
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
GIFT OF
^\
^
-"y
COMMODORE BYRON MCCANDLESS
y..j&^c^
Capt.
NA R RJTIV E,
CONCERNING
The LOSS of His MAJESTY'S ^SHIP
The CENTAUR, of Seventy-four Guns ;
AND THE
Miraculous Prefervation of the Pinnace, with the Captain,
Master, and Ten of the Crew, in a Traverfe of near joo
Leagues on the great Weftern Ocean; with the Names of che
People Saved.
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY.;
A NE fF EDITION, Correaed.
LONDON:
Printed for j. MURRAY, No. 32, Flect-flrcet ;
and
A. DONALDSON, St. Paul's Church-yard.
UfffCCfLXXXlU.
S'3o
Captain INGLEFIELD's
NARRATIVE.
Price, ONE SHILLING.
Entered at Stationers Hall.
M
T
HE Centaur left Jamaica ift rathef
a leaky condition, keeping two hand-
pumps going, and when it blew frefh,
fometimes a fpell with a chain-pump wag
neceflary. But I had no apprehenfion that
the fhip was not able to encounter a com-
mon gale of wind.
In the evening of the l6th of Sep-
tember, when the fatal gale came on, the
fhip was prepared for the worft weather
ufually met with in thofe latitudes -, the
mainfail was reefed and fet, the top
gallant mafts flruck, and the mrzen-yard
lowered down, though at that time it
did not blow very ftrong. Towards
midnight it blew a gale of wind, and the
3 fliip
( 6 )
/liip made fo much water that t was
obliged to turn all hands up to fpell the
pumps. The leak flill increafing, I had
thoughts to try the fhip before the fea; *
Happy I (hould have been, perhaps, had
I in this been determined. The impro-
priety of leaving the convoy, except in the
laft extremity, and the hopes of the wea-
ther growing . moderate, weighe<i again ft
the opinion that it was right.'
About two; in the morning the wind
lulled, and , we flattered ourfelves the
gale was bi^eak-ing. Soon after, we had
much thunder and lightning from the
S. E. with rain, when it began to blow
ftrong in gufls of wind, which obliged
me to ^aul the mainfail up, the llaip
being then under bare poles. This was
fcarcely done, when a guft of wind, ex-
ceedifig in violence every thing of the
kind I had ever feen, or had any con-
ception of, laid the fhip upon her
beam ends. The water forfook the
hold, and appeared between decks, fo as
to
fy-
( 7 )
to fill the mens hammocks to leeward i
the fliip lay motxonlefs, and, to all ap-
pearance, irrecoverably overiet. The
water encreafmg fail:, forced through
the ctWs of the ports, and fcuttled in
the ports, from the prefTure of the fhip.
I gave immediate directions to cut away
the rhain and mizen-mafts, hoping,
when the fhip righted, to wear her.
The mizen-maft went firft upon cut-
ting one or two lanyards without the
fmalleft effe(5t on the fhip; the main-
mafl followed, upon cutting the lan-
yard of one fhroud -, and I had the dif-
appointment to fee the foremaft and
bowfprit follow. The fhip upon this
immediately righted, but with great vi-
olence ; and the motion was fo quick,
that it was difficult for the people to
work the pumps. Three guns broke
loofe upon the main deck, and it was
fome time before they were fecured.
Several men being maimed in this at-
tempt, every moveable was deflroyed,
either from the fhot thrown loofe from
B z the
( 8 )
the lockers or the wreck of the deck.
The officer? who had left their beds
(when the fhip overfet) naked, in the
morning, had not an article of clothes
to put on, nor could their friqnds fupply
them.
The mails had not been over the fide
ten minutes, before I was informed the
tiller had broke ftiort in the rudder-
head; and before the chocks could bo
placed, the rudder itfelf was gone.
Thus we were as much difaftered as it was
pofTible, lying at the mercy of the wind
and fea : yet I had one comfort, that the
pumps, if any things reduced the water
in the hold; a^d as the morning came
on, (thp 17th) the weather gre^Y more
moderate, the wind having drifted in the
gale to N. W.
At day-light I f^w two lir^e-of- battle
fhips to leeward ; one had loft her fore-
maft and bowfprit, the other her main-
maft. I^ w^s tjie general opinion on
board
( 9 )
J30^rd jhe Centaur, that the former was
the Canada, the other the Glorieux.
The Ramilies was not in fight, nor
more than fifteen fail of merchants
(hips.
About fevcn in the morning I favy
another Hne-of-battle fhip a-head of us,
which I foon diftinguifhed to be the
Ville de Paris, with all her mads land-
ing. I immediately gave orders to make
the fignal of diftrefs, hoilling the en-
sign on the flump of thp niizen-mafl,
union downwards, and firing one of the
foreca|lle guns. The enfign blew away
foon after it was hoifled, and it was the
only one we had left remaining -, but I
had the fatisfadtion to fee the Ville de
Paris wear and ftand towards us. Several
of the merchant-fhips alfo approached
us, and thofe that could, hailed, and
pffered their afliflance : but depending
upon the King's fliip, I only thanked
them, defiring, if they joined Admiral
P raves, to acc^uaint him of our condi-
tion.
. ( 10 )
tloft/ I had not the fmallell doubt but
the Villc dc Paris was coming to us, a?
(lie appeared to us not to have fuffered
in the leaft by the ftorm, and having
{ccn her wear, we knew was under go-
vernment of her helm : at this time alfo
it was fo moderate, that the merchant-
man kt their top-fails, but approaching
within two miles, /he paffed us to wind-
ward ; this being obferved by one of
the merchant fhips, fhe wore and came
under our flern, offering to carry any
meffage to her. I delired the Mafter
would acquaint Captain Wilkinfon, that
the Centaur had loft her rudder, as well
as her mafts, that flie made a great deal
of water, and that I defired he would
remain with her, until the weather grew
moderate. I faw this merchantman ap-
proach afterwards, near enough to fpeak
the Ville de Paris, but I am afraid that
her condition was much worfe than it
appeared to be, as flie continued upon
that tack. In the mean time all the
cjuarter-.deck guns were thrown over-
board,
( '' )
board, and all but fix, whieh had 6ver-s
fet, of the main deck. The fliip lying in
the trough of the fea, laboured prodigi-
oufly. I got over one of the fmall an- ,
chors, with a boom, and feveral gun-car-
riages, -veered out from the head door by
a large haufer to keep the fhip's bow to
the fea ; but this, with a top-gallant-fail
upon the ftump of the mizen-maft, had
not the defired effedt.
As the evening came on it grew hazy,
and in fqualls blew flrong. We loft fight
of the Ville de Paris, but thought it a cer-
tainty that I fiiould fee her in the morn-
ing. The night was pafled in conftant
labour at the pumps. Sometimes the
wind lulled ; the water diminillied ; when
it blew ftrong again, the fea rifing, the
water again increafed*
Towards the morning of the i8th, I
was informed there was (even feet water
upon the Kelfun ; that one of the
Winches was broke ; that the two fpare
ones
( J2 )
ones would not fit, and that the hahd-
pumps were choaked. Thefe circuniilan-
ces were fufficiently alarming, but upon
opening the after-hold to get fome rum
up for the people, we iound our condition
iliuch more fo.
It will be necefTary to mention, that
the Centaur's after-hold was inclofed
by a bulk-head at the after part of the
well ; here were all the dry provifions
and fliip's turn flowed upon twenty
chaldron of coals, which unfortunately
had been ftarted in this part of the fhip,
and by thenl the pumps were continu-
ally choaked. The chain pumps were
fo much worn^ as to be of little ufe,
and the leathers, which had the well
been clear, would have lafted twenty
days or more, were all confumed in
eight. At this time it was obferved,
that the water had not a paffage to the
well, for ^ere there was fo much, that it
waflied agaiiift the orlop deck. All the
rum, twenty-fix puncheons ; all the
pro-
( 13 )
pfSvirioris, of which tHer^ were two
hionths, in caiks were ftove ; having
floated with violence, from fide to fide>
until there was not a whole calk re-
mainiiig : even the ftaves that were
found upon clearing the hold were mofl
of them broke In two or three pieces^
In the fore-hold we had a profped: of
perishing : fliould the fhip fwitn, we had
no water but what remained in the
ground-tier, and over this all the wet
provifions and butts filled with falt-wa-
ter were floating, and with fo much mo-
tion, that no man could with fafcty go
into the hold. There was nothing left for
us to try, but bailing with buckets at the
fore-hatchway and filh-room ; and twelve
large canvas buckets were immediately
employed at each. On opening the fifh-
room, we were fo fortunate as to difcover
that two puncheons of rum which be-
longed to me had efcaped. They were im--
mediately got up, and ferved out at times
in drams ; and had it not been for this
C relief,
( 4 )
relief, and fome lime-juice, the people
would have dropped ^
We fooft found our account in bail-
ing ; the fpare pump had been put down
the fore-hatchway,- and a pump ihifted
to the fifh-room ; but the motion of the
(liip had waflied the coals fo fmall, that
they had reached every part of the fliip,
and the pumps foon choaked* How-
ever, the water by noon had confiderably
diminished by working the buckets ; but
there appeared no profpedl of faving the
fliip if the gale continued. The labour
was too great to hold out without water ;
yet the people worked without a mur-
mur, and indeed with chearfulncfs-
At this time the weather was more
moderate, and a couple of fpars were
got ready for lliears to get up a jury-^
foremaft -, but as the evening came on,
the gale again increafed. We had ieen
nothing this day, but the fhip who had
lofl her main-maft, and fhe appeared to
be
( 15 )
fee as much in want of affiftance as our-
felves, having fired guns of diftrefs ; and
before night I "was told her foremaft was,
gone.
The Centaur laboured fo much, that I
had fcarce a hope flie could fwim till
morning. However, by great exertion of
the chain-pumps and bailing, we held our
own, but our fuiferings for want of wa^
ter were very great, and many pf the;
people could not be reilrained from drink'
ing falt-water.
At day-light, the 1 9th, there was no
veiiel in fight ; and fiafhes from guns hav^
ing been feen in the night, we feared the
ihip we had {ctn the preceding day had
foundered, Towards ten o'clock, fore-
noon, the weather grew more moderate,
the water diminished in the hold, and
the people were encouraged to redouble
their efforts to get the water low enough
to break a caik of frefl^ water out of the
ground tier -, and fome of the moft refo-
C 2 lute
{ i6 )
lute of the feamen were employed in
the attempt. At noon we fucceeded
with one cafk, which, though little,
was a feafonable relief. All the officers,
paflengers and boys, who were not of the
profeffion of feamen, had been employed
thrumming a fail which was palTed under
the fhip's bottom, and I thought had
fome efffcd:. The fliears were raifed for
the foremaft ; the weather looked pro-
mifmg, and the fea fell ; and at night
we were able to relieve at the pumps and
bailing, every two hours. By the morn-
ing, the 20th, the fore-hold wa* cleared
of the water, and we had the comfort-
able promife of a fine day. It proved
fo, and I was determined to make ufe of
it with every pofTible exertion. I di-
vided the fhip's company, with the of-
ficers attending them, into parties to
raife the jury-foremaft ; to heave over-
board the lower-deck guns j to clear the
wrecks of the fore and after-holds ; to
prepare the m.achine for fleering the fhip,
and to work the pumps. By night, tl;^
after-
{ 17 )
after-hold was as clear as when the fliip
was launched, for, to our aftonifhment,
there was not a fhpvel-full of coals re-
maining, twenty chaldron having been
pumped put fmce th^ commencement of
the gale. What I have called the wreck
of the hold, was the bulk-heads of the
after-hold, fifh-room, and Ijpirit-rooms.
The ftandards of the cock-pit, an im-
menie quantity of flaves ^nd wood, and
part of the lining of the fhip were
thrown overboard, that if the water
fliould again appear in the hold, we
might have no impediment in bailing.
All the guns were overboard, the fore-
maft fecured, and the machinej whicja
was to be fimilar to the one with which
the Ipfwich was fteered, was in great
forwardnefs ; fo that I was in hopes, the
moderate weather continuing, that I
fhould be able to Heer the fliip by noon
the following day, and at leafl fave the
people on fome of the Wcftern I Hands.
Had we had any other ihip in company with
us.
( i8 )
US, I iliould have thought it my duty to
have quitted the Centaur this day.
This night the people got fome reil
by relieving the vv^atches -, but in the
morning, the 21ft, we had the mortifi
cation to find, that the weather again
threatened, and by noon blew a ftorm.
The fhip laboured greatly, and the wa-
ter appeared in the fore and after-hold
and encreafed. The Carpenter alfo in-
formed me, that the leathers were nearly
confumed ; and likewife that the chains
of the pumps, by conilant exertion, and
the friftion of the coals, were nearly ren-
dered ufelefs,
A? we had now no other refource but
bailing, I gave orders that fcuttles fhould
be cut through the decks, to introduce
more buckets into the hold; and all the
fail-makers were employed night and day
in making canvas buckets ; and the
orlop deck having fallen in on the lar-
board-fidc, I ordered the llieet-cable to
be
( 19 >
DC roufed overboard* The wind at this
time was at W. and being on the lar-
board tack, many fchemes had been
pradifed to wear the fhip, that we might
drive into a lefs boifterous latitude, as
well as approach the Weftern lilands ;
but none fucceeded : and having a weak
Carpenter's crew, they were hardly fuffi-
cient to attend the pumps ; fo that we
could not make any progrefs with the
fleering machine. Another fail had been
thrummed and got over, but we did not
find its ufe ; indeed there was no profped:
but in a change of weather. A large
leak had been difcovered, and flopt, in
the fore-hold, and another in the Lady's-
hole, but the fhip appeared fb weak from
her labouring, that it was clear flie could
not lafl long. The after-cockpit had fal-
len in, the fore- cockpit the fame, with
all the flore-rooms down -, the flern-pofl:
was fo loofe, that as the fhip rolled, the
water rufhed in on either fide in great
ftreams, which we could not flop.
Night
y
( id ) -
fJight came on with the fame dreafy
profpedt as on the preceding, and was
pafTed in continual effort and labour.^
Morning came, the 2 2d, without our fee-
ing any thing, or any change of weather,
and the day was fpent with the fame ftrug-
gles to keep the fhip above water, pumping
and bailing at the hatchways and fcuttles.
Towards night another of the chain -
pumps was rendered quite ufelefs, by one
of the rollers being difplaced at the bot-
tom of the pump, and this was without
remedy, there being too much water in
the well to get to it : we alfo had but
iix leathers remaining, fo that the fate of
the fhip was not far off. Still the labour
went on without any apparent defpair,
every officer taking his Ihare of it, and
the people were al ways chearful and
obedient.
During the night, the water encreafed ;
but about fevcn in the morning, the 23d,
I was told that an unufual quantity of
water appeared ail at once in the fore-
hold.
( *1 )
hbld^ which upon my going for\Varcl
to be convinced, I found but too true ;
the ftowage of the hold ground-tier was
all in motion, fo that in a fhort time
there was not a whole cafk to be feen^
We were convinced the fhip had fprung
a frefh leak. Another fail had been
thrumming all night, and I was giving di-*
regions to place it over the bows, when
I perceived the fhip fettling by the head,
the lower deck bow-ports being even with
the water.
At this period the Carpenter acquaint-
ed me the well was ftove in, deflioy-
ed by the wreck of the hold, and the
chain pumps difplaced, and totally ufe-
lefs. There was nothing left but to re-
double our efforts in bailing, but it became
difficult to fill the buckets, from the quan-
tity of flaves, planks, anchor-flocks, and
yard-arm pieces which were now wafhed
from the wings, and floating from fidd
to fide with the rnotion of the fhip. The
people, who, to this period, had laboured
D asj
is (fetefmined to conquer their difficut-^
ties without a murmur, or without a
tear, feeing their efforts ufelefs, many
of them burft into tears, and wept like
childrenv
I gave orders for the anchors, of which
we had two remaining, to be throwr*
overboard, one of which (the fpare an-
chor) had been mofl furprilingly hove in
upon the fore-caflle and mid-fhips, when
the fliip had been upon her beam-ends^
and gone through the deck.
. Every time that I vifitcd the hatch-'
way I obferved the water encreafed, and
at noon it wafhed even with the orlop
deck. The Carp'cnter alfured me the
(hip could not fwim long, and propofed
making rafts to float the fliip's company,
whom it was not in my power to en-
courage any longer v/ith a profpedt of
their fafety. Some appeared perfe(5lly
refigned, went to their hammocks, and
delired their meffmates to lafli them in ;
others
( 23 )
others were lafbing themfelves to grate-
ings and fmall rafts ; but the moft predo-
piinant idea was, that of putting ori fhcir
befl and cleaneft clothes.
The weather about noon had been
foiyie.thing moderate, and as rafts had
been mentioned by the Carpenter, I
thought ijt right to make the attempt,
though I knew our boorns could not
float half the (hip's company in fine
weather, but w.e were in a fituation to
catch at a ftraw ; I therefore palled the
ihip's company together, told them my
intention, recomrnending to them to
remain regular and obedient to their of-
ficers. Preparations were immediately
made to |:his purpofe ; the booms were
cleared 5 jhe boats, of which we had
three, viz, cutter, pinnace, gnd five-
oared yawl, \yere got over the fide ; a
bag of bread was ordered to be put in
each, and any liquors that could be got
it, for tile purpofe of fupplying the
rafts 5 I had intended inyfelf to go into
D 2 the
( 24 )
the five oared yawl, and the Coxfwain
was defired to get any thing from my
fteward that might be ufeful. Two men.
Captains of tops, of the forecaflle, or
Quarter- mailers, were placed in each of
them, to prevent any man from forcing
the boats, or getting into them, until an
arrangement was made. While thefe pre-
pi.iatiuiis were making, the {hip was
gradually fmking, the orlop decks hav-
ing been blown up by the water in the
hold, and the cables floated to the gun-
deck. The men had for fome time quitted
their employment of bailing, and the fliip
was left to her fate.
In the afternoon the weather again
threatened, and in fqualls blew ftrong ;
the fea ran high, and one of the boats,
the yawl, flove along-lide and funk.
As the evening approached, the fliip
appeared little more than fufpended in
water. There was no certainty that
fhe would fwim from one minute to an-
other J and the Icve of life, which I be-
lieve
( 25 )
lieve never fliewed itfelf later in the ap-
proach to death, began now to level all
diftindions. It was impofllble indeed
for any man to deceive himfclf with a
hope of being faved upon a raft in fuch
. fea ; befides, that the ihip in finking, '
it was probable, would carry every thing
down with her in a vortex, tq a certain
di fiance.
It w^s near five o*c!ock, when coming
fr::-i ; ^y c^.b'i I obferved a number of
pc.ple looking very anxiouily over the
fide ', and looking myfelf, I faw that
feveral men had forced the pinnace, and
that more were attempting to get in. I
had immediate thoughts of fccuring this
boat before fhe might be funk by num-
bers. There appeared not more than a
moment for confideration ; to remain
and perifh with the ihip's company,
whom I could not be any longer of ufe
to, or feize the opportunity which
feemed the only way of efcaping, and
leave the people who I had been fo well
fatisfied
< 26 ^
^tisficd with on a variety of occallons, that
I thought I could give my life to preferve
them. 'This indeed vi^as a painful con-
Jlid, and which I believe no man can
defcribe, nor any man have a juft idea of,
\vho has not been in a fimilar fituation.
The love of life prevailedrr-I called
to Mr. Rainy, the Mafter, the only of-
ficer upon deck, defired him to follow
me, and immediately defcended into the
boat, at the after-part of the chains,
but not without great difficulty got the
boat clear from the fhip, twice the num-
ber that the boat would carry pufhing to
get in, and many jumping into the water.
Mr. Baylis, a young gentleman fifteen
years of age, leaped from the chains after
the boat had got off, and was taken in.
The boat falling aftern, became expofed
to the fea, and we endeavoured to pull
her bow round to keep her to the break
of the fea, and to pafs to windward
of the ihip ; but in the attempt fhe
was nearly filled j the fea ran too high,
and
( 27 )
and the only probability of living Was?
keeping her before the wind.
It was tlien that I became fenfible how
little, if any thing, better our condition
was than that of thofe who remained in
the fhip ; at beft, it appeared to be only
a prolongation of a miferable exiflence.
We were altogether twelve in number,
m a leaky boat, with one of the gun-
whales ftove, in nearly the middle of
the Weftern Ocean, without compafs,
without quadrant, without fail, without
great coat or cloak ; all very thinly cloath-
td, in a gale of wind, with a great fea
running ! ^^It was now five o'clock in the
evening, and in half an hour we loft
fight of the fhip. Before it was dark, a
blanket was difcovered in the boat. This
was immediately bent to one of the
ftretchers, and under it as a fail we
fcudded all night, in expe(5lation of
being fwallowed up by every wave, it be-
ing with great difficulty that we could
fometimvo clear tlie boat of the water
before
( 28 )
before the return of the next great fea ;
all of us half drowned, and fitting, except
thofe who bailed at the bottom of the
boat : and without having really perifhed
I am fure no people ever t dured more*
In the morning the weather grew mode-
rate, the wind having fhifted to the fouth-
ward, as we difcovered by the fun. Hav^
ing furvived the night, we began to
TecoUedt ourfclves, and tliliik of bur future
prefer vation.
When we quitted the fhip, the wind
was at N. W. or N. N. W. Fayall had
bore E. S. E. 250 or 260 leagues. Had
the wind continued for five or fix days,
there was a probability that running before
the fea we might have fallen in with
fome one of the Wefiiern Iflands. The
change of wind was death to thefe hopes ;
for fhould it come to blow, we knew
there would be no prefcrving life but by
running before the fea, which would carry
us again to the northward, where we muft
foon afterwards periili.
Upon
( 29 )
tJpon examining what we had to fubfifi
on, I found a bag of bread, a fmall ham^
a fingle piece of pork, two quart bot-
tles of water, and a few of French cor-
dials. The wind continued to the
Southward- for eight or nine days, and
providentially never blew fo ftrong but
that we could keep the fide of the boat
to the fea, but we were always moft
miferably wet and cold. We kept a
fort of a reckoning, but the fun and
ftars being fometimes hid from us for
the twenty-four hours, we had no very
good opinion of our navigation. We
judged at this period, that we had made
nearly an E. N. E. courfe, fmce the
firil night's run (which had carried us
to the S. E.) and exped:ed to fee the
illand of Corvo. In this, however, we
were difappointed, and we feared that
the Southerly wind had driven us
far to the Northward. Our prayers
were now for a Northerly wind. Our
condition began to be truly miferable,-
both froni hunger and cold, for on the
E fifth
( 3<=> )'
mth day we had difcovercd tliaf our
BreacJ was nearly all fpoiled by fait wa-
fer, and k was neceflary to go to an al-
Jowance. One bifcuit, divided into 12
morfels, for breakfaft, and th'e ame for
dinner ; the neck of a bottle !^oke off,
with the cork in, ferved for a glafs, and
this filled with water was the allowance
for twenty-foiir hours for each man.
This was done without any fort of par-
tiality or diftindtion ;' but we mufl have
_^erifhed ere this, had we not caugh't lix
(Quarts of rain water ; and' this we could
jiot have been blelled with, had we not
found in the boat a ^^ir of fheets, which
by accident had been put' there. Thefe
were fpread when it rained, and when
thorcUgnly wet, wrung into" the kidd
with which we bailed the boiit. With
this fliort allowance, which Was rather
tantalising than fuftaining, in our com-
fortlefs condition, we began to grow very*
feeble, and our clothes being continually
wet, our bodies were in many places chaf-
ed into fores.
Ort
< 31 )
Gn the 13 th day it fell calm, and fooiji
after a breeze of wind fprang up from the
N. N. W. and JdIcw to a gale, f^ that we
run before the fea at the rate of five or fi^
miles an hour under our blanket, tUl we
judged we were to the Southward of Fay-
all, and to the Weftward 69 leagues ; but
blowing ftrong, we could not attempt
to ileer for it. Our wifhes were now for
the wind to fhift to the Weftward. This
was the fifteenth day wje had been in the
boat, and we had only one day's bread,
jand one b9ttle of water remaining pf a fe-
cond fupply of rain. Our fufferings
were now as great as human ftrength
could bear, but we were convinced that
good fpirits were a better fupport than
great bodily ftrength ; for on this day Thor
mas Matthews, Quarter- Mailer, theiiout-
eft man in the boat, perifl^ed from hun-
ger and cold : on the day before he
had complained of want of ftrength in
)iis throat, as he exprelTed it, to fwallovv
l>is morfel, and in the night drank falt-
E 2 water^
/
( 32 )
water, grew delirious, and died without
a groan. As it became next to a certainty
that we fhould all perifh in the fame man-
ner in a day or two, it was fomewhat
comfortable to refledt, that dying of
hunger was not fo dreadful as our imagina-
tions had reprefented. Others had com-
plained of the fymptoms in their throats ;
fome had drank their own urine ; and all,
but myfelf, had drank falt-water.
As yet defpair and gloom had been fuc-
cefsfully prohibited, and as the evenings
clofed in, the rnen had been encouraged
by turns to fmg a fong, or relate a llory,
inflead of a fupper : but this evening I
found it impoffible to raife either. As the
night came on it fell calm, and about
midnight a breeze of wind fprang up, we
guefled from the Weflward by the fwell,
but there not being a ftar to be feen, we
were afraid of running out of our way, and
waited impatiently for the rifing fun to be
bur compafs.
As
( 33 )
As foon as the dawn appeared, wq
found the wind to be exadtly as we had
wifhed, at W. S. W. and immediately
fpread our fail, running before the fea
at the rate of four miles an hour. Our
lafl breakfaft had been ferved with the
bread and water remaining, when John
Gregory, Quarter-mafter, declared with
much confidence that he faw the land in
the S. E. We had feen fog-banks fo
often, which- had the appearance of land,
that I did not truft myfelf to believe it,
and cautioned the people (who were ex-
travagantly elated) that they might not
feel the eiFedts of difappointment ; 'till at
length one of them broke out into a moft
immoderate fwearing fit of joy, which I
could not reftrain, and declared he had
never {Qcn land in his life if what he now
faw was not it.
We immediately fhaped our courfe for
it, though on my part with very little
faith. The wind frefhened ; the boat
went through the water at the rate of
five
(( H ))
$JH qt fix miles an l>oUr ; and i^. twp
}iours time the land was plainly feen by
every man in the boat, but at a very great
diftance ; {q that we did not reach it be-
fore ten at nighf. If mufl: have been at
leaft twenty leagues fronj ifs when firfl
difcovered } and I cannot help remark-
ing, v^ith much thankfulnefs, on the
providential favour fhewn to us in thi$
inftance.
In every part of the horizon, except
where the land was difcovered, there wa^
fo thick a haze that we could not have
feen any thing for more than three or
four leagues. Fayall by our reckoning
bore E. by N, which courfe we were
(leering, and in a few hours, had not
the iky opened for our prefervation, we
fhould have encreafed our diflance from
the land, got to the eaftward, and of
courfe miffed all the Illands. As we
approached the land, our belief had
ftrengthened that it was Fayall. The
iQand of Pico, which might have re-
vealed
( 35 )
Sealed It to us had the weather been per-
feftly clear, was at this time capped with
clouds i and it was fome time before wc
were quite fati<:-fied, having traverfed for
two hoiirs a great part of the ifland,
where the fteep and rocky fliore refufed
ris a landing. This circumftance wag
borne with much impatience, for we had
Mattered ourielves that we iliould meet
with frefh water at the firft part of the
land we might approach ; and being dif-
appointed, the thirfl of fome had en-
creafed anxiety almoft to a degree of
madnefs ; fo that we were near making
the attempt to land in fome places
wliere the boat muft have been dafhed to
pieces by the furf. At length we dif-
covered a fiihing canoe, which condu6led
Us into the road of Fayall about midnight ^
but where the regulation of the port did
not permit us to land 'till examined by thd
health-orticers : however I did not think
much of fieeping this night in the boat,
our pilot having brought us fome refrefh-
mnts of bread, wine and water. In the
morning
( 36 )
hiorning we were vifitcd by Mr. Grahimy
the Englifh Conful, whofe humane atten--
tion made very ample amends for the
formality of the Portuguefe. . Indeed I
can never filfficiently exprefs the fenfe I
have of his kindnefs and humanity, both
to myfelf and people ; for I believe it was
the whole of his employment for feveral
days contriving the beft means of reftoring
us to health and ftrength. It is true, I
believe, there never were more pitiable
bbje(fls. Some ^f the ftouteft men be-
longing to the Centaur were obliged to be
fupported through the ftreets of Fayall.
Mr. Rainy, the Mafter, and myfelf, were,
I think, in better health than the reft ;
but I could not walk without being fup-
ported ; and for feveral days, with the
beft and moft comfortable provifions of
diet and lodging, we grew rather worfe-
than better.
Fayall, 13th J. N. Inglefield.
O^obcKy 1782,
KAMES
Names of the OFFICERS and MEN who were faved i^
thQ Pinnace.
Captain Ingk field.
Mr. Thomas Rainyt Mafter.
Mr. Robert Bayks, Midftiipman.
Mr. yamn Clarke, Sur;;eon's Mate.
7imothy Sullivan, Captain's Coxfwain.
^o/jn Gregory, Quarter-Mafter.
Ciarles M'Cartyj "]
Charles FUnn^ |
- Gallohar^ )> Seamen,
"* Theodore Hutehins^ |
Thomas Stevenfony J
Thomas Matthews^ Quarter- Mafter, died in the boat the
day before they faw land.
Names of the OFFICERSXch in the Ship, andfuppofed tq
have perifned.
John Jordariy
^ r eleven,
George Lindfay^ 3 ^Lieutenant J.
' Scott, 4 I
' Breton, 5 J
yobn Bell, Captain of Marines.
Thomas Hmiter, Purfer.
I'ViiUarrifon, Surgeon.
Thomas IVood, Boatfwain,
Charles Penlarick, Gunner.
Allan IVoodriff, Carpenter.
Dob/on,
Warden,
Hay,
\E'verhart,
MelTi-s. /f '''>5^ >Matcs and MldHiipraen,
\Lindfay,
I Chalmers,
w Thomas,
n
Correa Copy of t%e COURT MARTIAL
held on Captain INGLEFIELD.
AT a COURT MARTIAL affembled, and held on
board his Majefty's fliip the Warfpite, in Portfmouth
Harbour, on Saturday the 25th day of January, 1783.
PRESENT,
Commodore William Hotharti, Second Officer in the
command of his Majefty's (hips and veffels, at Portfmouth
andSpithcad, Prefident.
CAPTAINS,
J. Elphinfton J. Faulkner
T. Fitzherbert Hon. P. Bertie
Hon. W. Cornwallis S. Marfhall
S. Reeve . 8. W. Clayton
J. Holloway C. Collingwood
J. T. Duckworth Hon. J. Luttrell
The Court, in purfuance of an order from the Com-
miflioners, for executing the office of Lord High Admiral
of Great Britain and Ireland, &c. dated the 2 iftof the fame
month, for the enquiry into the caufe and circumftances of
the lofs of his Majefty's late ftiip Centaur, by feveral very
heavy gales of wind, and for the trial of Captain John
Inglcfield, her Commander, and the officers and company
who belonged to her, at the time flie U'as left finking, on
the 24th of September laft, in lat. 48 deg. 33 min. and lon-
gitude 43 deg. 20 min. for their condufl upon that occafion,
having i)roceedcd to enquire into the caufe andcircumftancea
of his Majefty's faid late ftiip the Centaur, and to try the faid
Cnptain Inglefield, and the officers and people who belonged
to her, at the time ftie was fo left as above-mentioned, for
their conduft upon that occafion accordingly ; and having
heard
\:
( 2 )
heard the Narrative of the faid Captain Inglefield, and
examined the officers and men prefent, and maturely and
deliberately confidercd the whole, is of opinion, that the
faid Captain John Inglefield acquitted himfclfasa coal, rc-
folute, and experienced officer, and was well fupported by
his officers and fliip's company, their united exertions ap-
pearing to have been fo great and manly, as to reflect the
higheft honour upon the whole, :ind to leave thedeepeft im-
preffion on the minds of this Court, that more could not
poffibly have been done, to preferve his Majefty's late fliip
the Centaur, from her melancholy fate ; the Court doth
therefore adjudge, that the faid Captain John Inglefield,
his officers, and company, be acquitted of all blame, on ac-
count of the lofs of his Majefty's faid late fliip Centaur, and
they are hereby acquitted accordingly.
W. Hotham S. Reeve
J. Elphiniloti S. W. Clayton
J. Faulkner J. Holloway
T. i'ltzherbert C. CoHingwood
R. Bertie J. T. Duckworth
W. Cornvvalils J. Luttrell
S. Marfhali
W. A. Bettesworth, Judge Advocate on the occafion.
This Day arc publifhed, in four Large Vols, 8 vo.
Adorned with Maps and Frontifpieces,
[Price il. 8s. neatly bound and lettered]
Dr. CAMPBELL'S LIVES of the BRITISH ADMI-
JIALS from the earlieft Period? ; with a CONTINU-
ATION down to the Year 1779, written under the In-,
fpedt'f^ll of Dr. Bsrkenhout.
I.ONDON: Printed for 7. ^^rr^_>-, No. 12, Fleet -Jrecti
and A. DonaUforty St. PaaPs Church-yard.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
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