# Melancholy consequences of two sea storms

Melancholy Consequences
OF TWO
Sea Storms,
Being, an Account of the
SHIPWRECK
a PORTUGUESE S OW, on her passage from GOA to MADRAS, in the year 1782 on board of which was DONALD CAMPBELL Esq; of Barbeck,
(as related in his journey to India.)
AND A
NARRATIVE OF THE LOSS
OF THE
ALSEWELL East-Indiaman,
Capt. RICHARD PIERCE,
Unfortunately Wrecked at the Isle of PURBECK, coast of DORSETSHIRE January 6th 1786; compiled from the communications of the two chief Officers who escaped the dreadful Catastrophe.
DUNBAR
Printed for and Sold by G. MILLER at whose Shop may be (illegible text), a variety of Small Histories, Sermons &c. Catechisms, ballads, Childrens Books and Pictures.
WHOLESALE and RETAIL
MELANCHOLY CONSEQUENCES
OF TWO
SEA STORMS, &c.
An account of the Shipwreck of a Portuguese Snow,. on her passage from Goa to Madras-in the year 1782, related by one of the Sufferers.
IT was now the eightenth of May when we sailed from Goa. The hemisphere had been for some days overcast with clouds: some light showers of rain had fallen: and it certainly did not (illegible text)nd to raise my spirits, and free me from my ominous apprehensions, to hear that those circumstances indicated an approaching gale of wind. I observed, moreover, that the vessel was much too deep in the water, being greatly overloaded-that she was in meny respects defective, and, as the seaman say, ill. (illegible text)und, and in short very unfit to encounter a gale of wind of any violence. I scorned, however, to ​yield to those united impressions, and determine to proceed.
"On the nineteenth, the sky was obscured by immense fleeces of clouds, surcharged with inflammable matter; and in the evening, the rain fell in torrents, the firmament darkened apace, sudden night came on, and the horrors of extreme darkness were rendered still more horrible be the peals o thunder which rent the air, and the frequent flashes of lightning, which served only to shew the horror of our situation, and leave us in increased darkness: mean time the wind became more violent blowing on the shore; and a heavy sea, raised by its force, united with it to make our state more formidable.
"By day light on the morning of the twentieth the gale had increased to a furious tempest; and the sea, keeping pace with it, ran mountain high; and as it kept invariably to the same point, the captain and officers became seriously alarmed, and almost persuaded that the south-west monsoon had set in, which, if it were so, would render it absolutely impossible for us to weather the coast. All the day, however, we kept as close as the violence (illegible text) the weather would allow us to the wind: but the sea canted her head so to leeward, that she made more lee than head-way; and the rigging was mained with the work, that we had little hope keeping off the shore, unless the wind changed, which there was not now the smallest probability. During the night there was no intermission of the storm: many of the sails blew into ribbonds; for(illegible text) of the rigging was carried away, and such exertions were made, that, before morning, every sti(illegible text) that could possibly be struck was down upon the deck:
"About seven o'clock on the morning of the ​twenty-first, I was alarmed by an unusual noise upon the deck, and running up, perceived that every re ining sail in the vessel, the fore sail (illegible text)one excepted, was totally carried away. The sight was horrible, and the whole vessel presented a spectacle as dreadful to the feelings as mortifying to human pride. Fear had produced, not only all the helplessness of despondency, but all the mischievous (illegible text)aks of insanity. In one place stood the captain, (illegible text)ving, stamping, and tearing his hair in handfuls from his head-here, some of the crew were cast upon their knees, clasping their hands, and praying, with all the extravagance of horror painted in their faces-there, others were flogging their ima(illegible text)s with all their might, calling upon them to allay the storm. One of our passengers, who was purser (illegible text) an English East Indiaman, had got hold of a case-(illegible text)ttle of rum, and with an air of distraction and deep dispair imprinted in his face, was stalking about in his shirt. I perceived him to be on the (illegible text)nt of serving it about, in large tumblers, to the (illegible text)w undismayed people; and well convinced, that, far from alleviating, it would sharpen the horrors (illegible text) their mind, I went forward, and with much difficulty prevented him.
"Having accomplished this point, I applied my (illegible text) to the captain, and endeavoured to bring him back (if possible) to his recollection, and to a sense (illegible text) what he owed to his duty as a commander, and to his dignity as a man: I exhorted him to encourage the sailors by his example; and strove to raise his spirits, by saying that the storm did not appear to me by any means so terrible as some I had before experienced.
"While I was thus employed, we shipped a sea (illegible text) the starboard side, which I really thought would have sent us down. The vessel seemed to sink ​beneath its weight, shivered, and remained motionless-it was a moment of critical suspense: fancy made me think I felt her gradually descending- I gave myself up as gone, and summoned all my fortitude to bear approaching death with becoming manhood.
"Just at this crisis, the water, which rushed with incredible force though at parts of the vessel, brought out floating, and nearly suffocated, another English passenger, who was endeavouring to take a little repose in a small cabin boarded off from the deck: he was a very stout young man, and full of true spirit. Finding that the vessel was not, as he had thought, going immediately down, he joined me in exhorting the captain to his duty: we persuaded him to throw the guns overboard, as well as a number of trunks and packages with which the vessel was much encumbered; and with some little exertion, we got the pumps set a going."
The name of the English passenger just mentioned was Hall. He was a young man of a most amiable disposition, and with it possessed all that manly spirit that gives presence of mind in exigences of danger. He and Capt. Campbell having, with great difficulty, got some hands to stick to the pumps, stood at the wheel, at once to assist the men, and prevent them from quitting it: and although hopeless, determined that no effort practicable on their parts should be wanting to the preservation of the vessel. The water, however, gained upon the pumps, notwithstanding every effort and it evidently appeared that they could not keep her long above water.
"At ten o'clock the wind seemed to increase, a(illegible text) amounted to a downright hurricane: the sky w(illegible text) to entirely obscured with black clouds, and the rain fell so thick, that objects, were not discernable ​from the wheel to the ship's head. Soon the pumps were choaked, and could no longer be worked: then dismay seized on all-nothing but unutterable despair, silent anguish, and horror, wrought up to frenzy, was to be seen; not a single soul was capable of an effort to be useful-all seemed more desirous to extinguish their calamities by embracing death, than willing, by a painful exertion, to avoid it.
At about eleven o'clock they could plainly distinguish a dreadful roaring noise, resembling that waves rolling against rocks; but the darkness of the day, and the accompanying rains, prevented them from seeing any distance; and if it were a rock, they might be actually dashed to pieces on it before they could perceive it. At twelve o'clock, however, the weather cleared up a little and both the wind and the sea seemed to have abated: the (illegible text)ry expansion of the prospect round the ship was (illegible text)hilarating; and as the weather grew better, and the sea less furious, the senses of the people returning, and the general stupefaction began to decrease.
The weather continuing to clear up, they in some (illegible text)ne discovered breakers and large rocks without (illegible text)e of them: so that it appeared they must have passed quite close to them, and were now fairly (illegible text)mmed in between them and the land.
"In this very critical juncture," says our traveller, "the captain, entirely contrary to my opinion, adopted the dangerous resolution of letting go anchor, to bring her up with her head to the (illegible text): but, though no seaman, my common sense (illegible text)d me that she could never ride it out, but must directly go down. The event nearly justified my judgment; for she had scarcely been an hor be (illegible text)e an enormous sea rolling over her, ​overwhelmed and filled her with water, and every one on board concluded that she was certainly sinking. On the instant, a Lascar, with a presence of mind worthy (illegible text) an old English mariner, took an axe, ran forward and cut the cable."
On finding herself free, the vessel again floated and made an effort to right herself; but she was almost completely water-logged, and heeled to larboard so much, that the gunnel lay under water. They then endeavoured to steer as fast as they could for the land, which they knew could not be at an great distance, though they were unable to discover it through the hazy weather: the fore-sail was loosened; by great efforts in bailing, she righted a little, her gunnel was got above water, and the (illegible text) fendded as well as they could before the wind which still blew hard on shore; and about two o'clock the land appeared at a small distance (illegible text)head.
The love of life countervails all other considerations in the mind of man. The uncertainty they were under with regard to the shore before then, which they had to reason to believe was part of Hyd(illegible text) Al(illegible text)'s dominions, where they should meet with the most rigorous reatment, if not ultimate death, was forgotten in the joyful hope of saving life, and then scudded towards the shore in all the exulting transports of a people just snatched from the jaws of death.
"This gleam of happiness, however, continued not long: a tremendous sea rolling after the broke over their stern, tore every thing before, stove in the steerage, carried away the rudder, (illegible text)vered the wheel to pieces, and tore up the v(illegible text) ring-bolts of the deck-conveyed the men who steered at the wheel forward, and swept them overboard. Captain Campbell was standing, at the time, n(illegible text) ​wheel, and fortunately had hold of the taffared, which enabled him to resist in part the weight of wave. he was, however, swept off his feet, and dashed against the main-mast. The jerk from (illegible text) taffarel, which he held very tenaciously, seeming as it would have dislocated his arms: it broke, however the impetus of his motion, and in all probability saved him from being dashed to pieces against the mast.
"I floundered about," says he, "in the water (illegible text)he foot of the mast, till at length I got on my (illegible text), and seized a rope, which I held in a state of that embaressment, dubious what I should do to (illegible text)ricate myself. At this instant I perceived that (illegible text). Hall had got upon the capstern, and was waving his hand to me to follow his example: this I (illegible text)hed to do, though it was an enterprise of some (illegible text) and difficulty; for, if I lost the hold I had, a (illegible text)le motion of the vessel, or a full wave, would (illegible text)ainly carry me overboard, I made a bold push, however, and fortunately accomplished it. Having attained this station, I could the better survey wreck, and saw that the water was nearly breas(illegible text)h on the quarter deck (for the vessel was deep-(illegible text)sted); and I perceived the unfortunate English (illegible text)fer standing where the water was most shallow, (illegible text)f watching with patient expectation its rising, (illegible text) awaiting death: I called to him to come to us, he shook his head in dispair, and said, in a lamentable tone, "It is all over with us! God have mercy upon us!"-then seated himself with seem(illegible text) composure on a chair which happened to be (illegible text)ing about in the wreck of the deck, and in a (illegible text) minutes afterwards was washed into the sea (illegible text) with it, where he was speedily released from (illegible text)ate ten thousand times worse than death.
During this universal wreck of things, the ​horror I was in could not prevent me from observing a very curious circumstance, which at any other time would have excited laughter, though now it produced no other emotion than surprise. We happened to be in part laden with mangoes, of which the island of Goa is known to produce the finest in the world, some of them lay in baskets on the poop(illegible text) a little black boy, in the moment of greatest danger, had got seated by them, devouring them voraciously, and crying all the time most bitterly at the horrors of his situation!
"The vessel now got completely water-logged and Mr. Hall and I were employed in forming conjectural calculations how many minutes she could keep above ter, and consoling one another on the unfortunate circumstances under which we met, lamenting that fate had thus brought us acquainted only to make us witnesses of each other's misery and then to see one another no more.
"As the larboard side of the vessel was gradually going down, the deck, and of course the capster(illegible text) became too nearly perpendicular for us to continue on it: we therefore forsaw the necessity of quitting it, and got upon the starboard side, holding fast (illegible text) the gunnel, and allowing our bodies and legs (illegible text) yield to the sea as it broke over us. Thus we continued for some time: at length the severity of the labour so entirely exhausted our strength and spirit that our best hope seemed to be a speedy conclusion to our painful death; and we began to have serious intentions of leting go our hold, and yielding ourselves up at once to the fury of the waves.
"The vessel which all this time drifted with t(illegible text) sea and wind gradually approximated the s(illegible text) and at length struck the ground, which for an instant revived our almost departed hopes; but soon found that it did not in the smallest degree ​better our situation. Again I began to yield to utter despair-again I thought of letting go my hold, and sinking at once: it is impossible, thought I, (illegible text)en to escape- why, then, prolong, for a few minutes, a painful existance that must at last be given? Yet, yet, the all-subduing love of life suggesting, that many things apparently impossible had (illegible text) me to pass; and I said to myself, If life is to be (illegible text), why not lose it in a glorious struggle? Should (illegible text) survive it by accident, life will be rendered doubtless sweet to me, and I still more worthy of it by persevering fortitude.
"While I was employed in this train of reflection, I perceived some of the people collecting together, talking, and holding a consultation: it immediately occurred to me, that they were devising the plan for escaping from the wreck, and getting (illegible text): and, so natural is it for man to cling to fellow creature for support in difficult or dangerous exigences, that I proposed to Mr. Hall to join (illegible text)m, and take a share in the execution of the plan observing to him at the same time that I was determined at all events to quit the vessel, and trust the protection and guidance of a superintending providence for the rest.
"As prodigality of life is, in some cases, the (illegible text)s of virtue and courage-so there are others in such it is vice, meanness and cowardice. True courage is, according to the circumstances under which it is to operate, as rigidly tenacious and vigi{{illegible} of life in one case, as it is indifferent and re{{illegible}tless in another; and I think it is a very strange contradiction in the human heart (although it often happens), that a man who has the most unbound(illegible text) courage, seeking death even in the canon's (illegible text)th, shall yet want the necessary resolution to (illegible text)e exertions to save his life in cases of o(illegible text) ​danger. The unfortunate English purser could not collect courage sufficient to make an effort to save himself; and yet I think it probable that he would hsve faced a battery of artillery, or exposed himself to a pistol shot, if occasion required, as soon as any other man. Thu it appears at first view: but may not this seeming incongruity be explained by saying, that personal courage and fortitude are different qualities of the mind and body, and depend upon the exercise of entirely different functions?
"Be that as it may, I argued with myself, in the height of my calamitous situation, upon the subject of fortitude and dejection, courage and cowardice and, notwithstanding the serious aspect of affairs, found myself lightening to the suggestions of pride what a paltry thing to yield, while strength is le(illegible text) to struggle! Vanity herself had her hint, and whispered, "Should I escape by an effort of my own, what a glorious theme of exultation!" There were I confess, transitory images in my mind, which co operating with the natural attachment to elf preservation, made me persevere, and resolve to do (illegible text) while one vestige of hope was left for the mind to dwell on.
"Observing as I said before, the people consu(illegible text)ing together, and resolving to join them, I made effort to get to the lee shrouds, where they withstanding, or rather clinging; but before I could accomplish it, I loft my hold, fell down the hatchw(illegible text) (the gratings having been carried away with the long boat), and was for some minutes entangled there among a heap of packages, which the viol(illegible text) fluctuations of the water had collected on the side. As the vessel moved with the sea, and water flowed in the packages and I were ro(illegible text) together-sometimes one, sometimes another uppermost; so that I began to be apprehensive ​(illegible text)ld not be able to extricate myself: by the morest (illegible text) dent, however, I grasped something that lay in (illegible text) way, made a vigorous spring, and gained the (illegible text) shrouds. Mr. Hall who followed me, in seizing (illegible text) the shrouds, was driven against me with such (illegible text)ence, that I could scarcely retain my hold of (illegible text) rigging.
Compelled by the perilous situation in which I (illegible text)d, I called out to him for God's sake to keep (illegible text) for that I was rendered quite breathless and (illegible text)n out: he generously endeavoured to make way (illegible text) me, and, in so doing, unfortunately lost his (illegible text)d, and went down under the ship's side. Never, (illegible text)er shall I forget my sensations, at this melancholy incident-I would have given millions of worlds (illegible text)t could have recalled the words which made him (illegible text)ve; my mind was wound up to the last pitch of (illegible text)uish: I may truly say, that this was the most bitter of all the bitter moments of my life, compared with which the other circumstances of the ship-wreck seemed lessened-for I had insensibly acquired an unusual esteem and warm attachment for him, and was doubtful whether, after being even the innocent occasion of his falling, I ought to take further pains to preserve my own life. All those sensations were passing with the rapidity of lightning through mythoughts, when, as much to my astonishment as to my joy, I saw him borne by a returning wave, and thrown among the very packages from which I had but just before, with such in(illegible text)ur and difficulty, extricated myself, in the end he (illegible text)oved equally fortunate, bu , after a much longer and harder struggle, and after sustaining much more injury.
"I once more changed my station, and made my way to the poop, where I found myself rather oversheltered-I earnestly wished Mr. Hall to be ​with me, whatever might be my ultimate fate and beckoned him to come near me; but he only answered by shaking his head, in a feeble, desponding manner-staring at the same time wildly about him: even his spirit was subdued; and despair, (illegible text) perceived, had begun to take possession of his mind.
"Being a little more at ease in my new station than I had been before, I had more time to deliberate, and more power to judge. I recollected, that according to the course of time, the day was f(illegible text) gone, and the night quickly approaching; I reflected, that for any enterprize whatever day was much preferable to night; and above all I considered, that the vessel could not hold long toge-her-therefore thought, that the best mode I could adopt would be, to take to the water with the first buoyant thing I could see; and, as the wind and water both seemed to run to the shore, to take any chance in that wa(illegible text) of reaching it. In pursuance of this resolution, (illegible text) tore off my shirt, having before that thrown of the other parts of my dress-I looked at my sleeve buttons, in which was set the hair of my departed children--and, by an involuntary act of the imagination, asked myself the question, "Shall I be happy enough to meet them where I am now about to go?-Shall those dear last remains, too, become prey to the devouring deep?"-In that instant, reason, suspended by the horrors of the scene, gave way to instinct, and I rolled my shirt up, and very carefully thrust it into a hole between decks, with the wild hopes that the sleeve buttons might yet escape untouched. Watching my opportunity, (illegible text) saw a log of wood floating near the vessel, and waving my hand to Mr. Hall as a last adieu, jumped after it. Here, again, I was doomed to aggravated hardships-I had scarcely touched the log when a great sea snatched it from my hold: still ​(illegible text)me near me, I grasped it ineffectually, till at (illegible text) it was completely carried away, but not before (illegible text)d cut and battered and bruised me in several (illegible text)es, and in a manner that at any other time I (illegible text)ld have thought dreadful.
Death seemed inevitable; and all that occured to me now to do, was to accelerate it, and get (illegible text) of its pangs as speedily as possible; for, though (illegible text)ew how to swim; the tremendous surf rendered swimming useless, and all hope from it would have (illegible text) ridiculous. I therefore began to swallow as much water as possible; yet, still rising by the (illegible text)ant principle of the waves to the surface, my, (illegible text)er thoughts began to recur; and whether it (illegible text) that, of natural instinct, which survived the temporary impressions of despair, I know not; but endeavoured to swim, which I had not done long, (illegible text)n I again-discovered the log of wood I had lost (illegible text)ting near me, and with some difficulty caught (illegible text) hardly had it been an instant in my hands, (illegible text)n, by the same unlucky means I lost it again, I (illegible text) often heard it said in Scotland, that if a man throw himself flat on his back in the water, quite straight and stiff, and suffer himself to sink (illegible text) the water gets into his ears, he will continue to (illegible text)t so for ever: this occurred to me now, and I de(illegible text)termined to try the experiment; so I threw myself (illegible text) my back in the manner I have described, and (illegible text) myself to the disposal of Providence; nor was it (illegible text)g before I found the truth of the saying -for I (illegible text)ted with hardly an effort, and began for the first (illegible text)e to conceive something like hopes of preservation,
After lying in this manner, committed to the (illegible text)retion of the tides, I soon saw the vessel (illegible text) it was a considerable distance behind (illegible text) earliest hope began to play about my heart, and fluttered with a thousand gay fancies in my (illegible text)d: I began to form the favourable conclusion, ​that the tide was carrying me rapidly to land from the vessel, and that I should soon once more touch terra firma.
"This expectation was a cordial that revived my exhausted spirits: I took courage, and left myself still to the same all-directing Power that had had hitherto preserved me, scarcely doubting that I should soon reach the land. Nor was I mistaken; for, a short time more, without effort or exertion, and without once turning from off my back, I found myself strike against the sandy beach. Overjoyed to the highest pitch of transport at my providential deliverance, I made a convulsive spring, and ran up a little distance on the shore; but wa so weak and worn down by fatigue, and so unable to clear my stomach of the salt water with which it was loaded, that I suddenly grew deadly sick, and apprehended that had only exchanged one death (illegible text) another; and in a minute or two fainted away."
Campbell's overland Journey India, Page159-176.
Narrative of the Loss of the Halsewell East Indiaman on the coast of Dorsetshire, January 1786.
THE Halsewell East-Indiamen, of 758 tons bu(illegible text) then, commanded by Richard Pierce Es(illegible text) sailed through the Downs on Sunday the 1st of January, 1785, and the next morning being a brea(illegible text) of Dunnose, it fell calm.
Monday the 2d of January. at three in the afternoon, a breeze sprung up from the South, wh(illegible text) they ran in shore to land the pilot, but very thi(illegible text) weather coming on in the evening, and the wind bastling, at nine in the evening they were obliged (illegible text) and oi in eighteen fathom water, furled their top sails, but could not (illegible text) their courses, the snow falling thick, and freezing as it fell.
​(illegible text)esday the 3d, at four in the morning, a (illegible text)g gale came on from East-Nore_East, and the (illegible text) driving, they were obliged to cut their cables, (illegible text)un off to sea. At noon, they spoke with a (illegible text)bound to Dublin, and having put their pilot (illegible text)ard her, bore down Channel immediately. At (illegible text) in the evening the wind freshening and coming (illegible text) the Southward, they reefed such sails as were (illegible text)d necessary. At ten at night it blew a violent (illegible text) of wind at South, and they were obliged to (illegible text) a press of sail to keep the ship off shore, in (illegible text)g which the hawse plugs, which according to a improvement were put inside, were washed in, the hawse bags washed away, in consequence of which they shipped a large quantity of water on the deck.
(illegible text) sounding the well, and finding the ship had sprung a leak, and had five feet water in her hold, (illegible text)clued the main top sail up, hauled up the main. and immediately endeavoured to furl both, would not effect it-All the pumps were set to (illegible text) on discovering the leak.
Wednesday the 4th, at two in the morning, they favoured to wear the ship, but without success, judging it necessary to cut away the mizen-it was immediately done, and a second attempt (illegible text)e to wear the ship, which succeeded no better (illegible text) the former; and the ship having now seven (illegible text) water in her hold, and gaining fast on the (illegible text)s, it was thought expedient for the preservation of the ship, to cut away the mainmast, she appearing to be in immediate danger of foundering.
(illegible text) ten in the morning the wind abated considerably, and the ship labouring extremely, rolled the top-mast over on the larboard side, in the fall, (illegible text) wreck went through the fore-sail, and tore it to ​pieces. At eleven in the forenoon, the wind to the West ward, and the weather clearing up, Berry-head was distinguishable bearing North by East, distant four or five leagues; they immediately bent another fore-sail, erected a main-mast, and set a top-gallant sail for a m(illegible text) sail under which sail they bore up for Portsmouth and employed the remainder of the day in getting up a jury mizen-mast.
About two in the morning on Friday the(illegible text) the ship still driving, and approaching very fast the shore, Mr. Henry Meriton went into the (illegible text)dy, where the Captain then was, and a conversation took place, Captain Pierce expressing extreme anxiety for the preservation of beloved daughters, and earnestly asking the officer if could devise any means of saving them, and on answering with great concern that he feared it w(illegible text) be impossible, but that their only chance would to wait for the morning, the Captain lifted up (illegible text) hands in silent and distressful ejaculation.
At this dreadful moment the ship struck with such violence as to dash the heads of those (illegible text) were standing in the cuddy, against the deck above them, and the fatal blow was accompanied by (illegible text) shriek of horror, which burst at one instant from very quarter of the ship.
Mr. Meriton, the officer, whom we have already mentioned, at this crisis of horror, offered to (illegible text) desponding crew the best advice which could possibly be given to them; he recommended their c(illegible text)ing all to that side of the ship which lay lowest the rocks, and singly to take the opportunities which might then offer of escaping to the shore. A (illegible text) Having thus provided to the utmost of his power for their safety, he returned to the round-hou(illegible text) where by this time all the passengers, and most ​officers were assembled, the latter employed in (illegible text)ng consolation to the unfortunate ladies, and (illegible text) unparalleled magnanimity, suffering their com(illegible text)n for th fair and amiable companions of their (illegible text)rtunes, to get the better of the sense of their (illegible text) danger, and the dread of almost inevitable an(illegible text)ation. at this moment, what must be the feeling of a Father-of such a Father as Captain (illegible text)e!
The ship struck on the rocks at or near Seacombe, (illegible text)e island of Purbeck, between Peverel Point, (illegible text) St. Alban's-head, at a part of the shore where (illegible text) cliff is of a vast height, and rises almost perpendicular from its base.
At at this particular spot the cliff is excavated at (illegible text)oot, and presents a cavern of ten or twelve (illegible text) in depth, and of breadth equal to the length (illegible text) large ship, the sides of the cavern for nearly up- (illegible text) as to be extremely difficult of access, the roof (illegible text)ed of the stupendous cliff, and the bottom of it (illegible text)ed with sharp and uneven rocks, which seem (illegible text)ve been rent from above by some convulsion (illegible text)nture.
(illegible text) was at the mouth of this cavern that the unfortunate wreck lay stretched almost from side to (illegible text) of it, and offering her broadside to the the horrid (illegible text)n.
(illegible text)t at the time the ship struck it was too dark to (illegible text)ver the extent of their danger; and the ex(illegible text)e horror of their situation; even Mr. Meriton (illegible text)elf conceived a hope that she might keep together till daylight, and endeavoured to chear his (illegible text)ping friends, and in particular the unhappy ladies with this comfortable expectation, as an an(illegible text) to the Captain's enquiries, how they went on, (illegible text)nat he thought of their situation.
(illegible text) addition to the company already in the round, ​house, they had admitted three black women, two soldiers wives, who with the husband of our them had been permitted to come in, though seamen who had tumultuously demanded entranced to get the lights, had been opposed, and kept by Mr. Rogers, the third Mate, and Mr Brimer fifth, so that the numbers there were new increased to near fifty; Captain Pierce fitting on a chair, or some other moveable, with a daughter on each of him, each of whom he alternately pressed to his affectionate bosom; the rest of the melancholy aff(illegible text) were seated on the deck, which was strewed w(illegible text) musical instruments, and the wreck of furniture, trunks, boxes and pakages.
And here also Mr. Meriton, having previously cut several wax candles into pieces, and stuck th(illegible text) up in various parts of the round-house, and light(illegible text) up all the glass lanthorns he could find, took seat, intending to "wait the happy dawn, that m(illegible text) present to him the means of effecting his own (illegible text)cape, and afford him an opportunity of giving (illegible text)sistance to the partners of his danger; but observing that the poor ladies appeared parched and exhausted, he fetched a basket of oranges from some p(illegible text) of the round house, and prevailed on some of the to refresh themselves by sucking a little of the juice. At this time they were all tolerably composed, except Miss Mansel, who was in hysteric fits on (illegible text) floor de k of the round-house.
But on his return to the company, he perceived a considerable alteration in the appearance of the ship, the sides were visibly giving way, the di(illegible text) seemed to be lifting, and he discovered other s(illegible text) symptoms that she could not hold together much longer, therefore attempted to go forward look out, but immediately saw that the ship was separated in the middle, and that the fore part (illegible text) ​(illegible text)d its position, and lay rather farther out to- (illegible text) the sea; and in this emergency, when the (illegible text)moment might be charged with his fate, he (illegible text)ined to seize the present, and follow the ex(illegible text) of the crew, and the soldiers, who were now (illegible text)ng the ship in numbers, and making their (illegible text)o a shore, of which they knew not yet the (illegible text)s.
Meriton discovered a spar, which appeared (illegible text) laid from the ship's side to the rocks, and on (illegible text)par he determined to attempt his escape.
(illegible text) accordingly laid him down on it, and thrust (illegible text)lf forward, but he soon found the spar had no (illegible text)unication with the rock, he reached the end and then slipped off, receiving a very violent (illegible text) in his fall, and before he could recover his (illegible text) he was washed off by the surge, in which he (illegible text)rted himself by swimming, till the returning (illegible text) dashed him against the back part of the cavern, (illegible text)e he laid hold of a small projecting piece of the (illegible text) but was so benumbed, that he was on the point (illegible text)itting it, when a seaman who had already (illegible text)d a footing, extended his hand, and assisted (illegible text) till he could secure himself on a little shelf of rock, from which he clambered still higher, (illegible text)e was out of the reach of the surf.
(illegible text). Rogers the third mate, remained with the (illegible text)min, and the unfortunate ladies, and their com(illegible text)ns, near 20 minutes after Mr. Meriton had (illegible text)d the ship.
(illegible text) this time the sea was breaking in at the fore of the ship, and reached as far as the main-(illegible text) and Captain Pierce gave Mr Rogers a nod, they took a lamp, and went together into the gallery, and after viewing the rocks for some (illegible text), Captain Pierce asked Mr. Rogers, if he (illegible text)ght there was any possibility of saving the girls, ​to which he replied, he feared there was not (illegible text) they could only discover the black face of the (illegible text)pendicular rock, and not the cavern which af(illegible text)ed shelter to those who escaped; they then ret(illegible text)ed to the round-house, and Mr. Rogers hun(illegible text) the lamp, and Captain Pierce, with his great (illegible text) on, sat down between his two daughters, and s(illegible text)gled to suppress the parental tear which then (illegible text) into his eye.
The sea continuing to break in very fast M'Manus, a midshipman, and Mr. Schutz, a p(illegible text)r, asked Mr. Rogers what they could do to e(illegible text) who replied, "follow me." and they then all (illegible text) into the stern gallery, and from thence by the (illegible text)ther upper quarter gallery upon the poop, (illegible text) whilst they were there a very heavy sea fell on b(illegible text) and the round-house gave away, and he heard (illegible text) ladies shriek at intervals, as if the water had re(illegible text)ed them, the noise of the sea at other times dre(illegible text)ing their voices.
Mr. Brimer had followed Mr. Rogers to the p(illegible text) where they had remained together about five minutes, when on the coming on of the last men(illegible text)ed sea, they jointly seized a hen-coop; and the (illegible text) wave which he apprehended proved fatal to (illegible text) of those who remained below, happily carried (illegible text) and his companion to the rock, on which they (illegible text) dashed with such violence as to be miserably br(illegible text) and hurt.
Mr. Rogers and Mr. Brimer both however re(illegible text)ed the cavern, and scrambled up the rock; on (illegible text) row shelves of which they fixed themselves, Mr. (illegible text)gers got so near to his friend Mr. Meriton as to change congratulations with him, but he was (illegible text)vented from joining him at least 20 men were between them, neither of whom could n(illegible text) without immediate peril of his life. ​(illegible text)ey now found that a very considerable number (illegible text)e crew, seaman, soldiers, and some petty of(illegible text) were in the same situation with themselves, (illegible text)h many who had reached the rocks below, had (illegible text)ed, in attempting to ascend; what that situa(illegible text) as they were still to learn; at present they had (illegible text)d immediate death, but they were yet to en(illegible text)er cold, nakedness, wind, rain, and the per(illegible text) beating of the spray of the sea, for a difficult, (illegible text)ious, and doubtful chance of escape.
(illegible text)very few minutes after Mr. Rogers had gain(illegible text) rock, an universal shriek, which still vibrates (illegible text)r ears, and, in which, the voice of female (illegible text)s was lamentably distinguishable, announced (illegible text)eadful catastrophe; in a few moments all was (illegible text)d, except the warring winds, and beating waves; (illegible text)eck was buried in the remorseless deep, and (illegible text) atom of her was ever after discoverable.
(illegible text)s perished the Halsewell.
(illegible text)at an aggravation of woe was this dreadful, tremendous blow, to the yet trembling, and (illegible text)ly half saved wretches, who were hanging (illegible text) the sides of the horrid cavern.
er the bitterest three hours which misery ever (illegible text)ened into ages, the day broke on them; they (illegible text)ound that had the country been alarmed by (illegible text)ns of distress which they had continued to (illegible text)or many hours before the ship struck, but from the violence of the storm were unheard, (illegible text)ould neither be observed by the people from (illegible text), as they were completely ingulphed in the ca(illegible text) and over hung by the cliff, nor did any part (illegible text) wreck remain to point out their probable place (illegible text)ge; below, no boat could live to search them (illegible text)d had it been possible to have acquainted who would wish to assist them, with their exact (illegible text)on, no ropes could be conveyed into the cavi(illegible text) facilitate their escape. ​The only prospect which offere , was to cre(illegible text) long the side of the cavern, to its outward extr(illegible text)ty, and on a ledge scarcely as broad as a man's ha(illegible text) to turn the corner, and endeavour to clamber the almost perpendicular precipice, whose sum was near two hundred feet from the base.
And in this desperate effort did some success whilst others, trembling with terror, and (illegible text) strength exhausted by mental and bodily fatigue lost their precarious footing, and perished in the tempt.
The first men who gained the summit of the (illegible text) were the Cook, and James Thompson, a Qua(illegible text)master, by their own exertions they made their (illegible text) to the land, and the moment they reached it, (illegible text)tened to the nearest house, and made known the (illegible text)tuation to their fellow sufferers
The house at which they first arrived was East(illegible text) too the present habitation of Mr. Garland, ste(illegible text) or agent to the proprietors of the Purbeck Qua(illegible text) who immediately got together the workmen in his direction, and with the most zealous and anim(illegible text) humanity; exerted every effort for the preservation of the surviving crew of this unfortunate ship; were procured with all possible dispatch, and (illegible text) precation taken that assistance should be spe(illegible text) and effectually given.
As the day advanced, more assistance was o(illegible text)ed, and as the life preserving efforts of the fur(illegible text) would admit it, they crawled to the extremities (illegible text) covered, and presented themselves to their pr(illegible text) above, she stood prepared with the means the situation would permit them to exercise, to them to the summit.
Circumstantial Narrative of the logs of the Halfewe(illegible text) Compiled from the communications of t(illegible text) chief Officers, who escaped, Page 10
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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