The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-05-17 00:00:00

LOSS OF THZ ATOLL° ThICATF., te.

- laterenhag Narrative of the Loss of His Majesty's ship the
Apollo, J. W. V. Dixon, Esq. Captain, with about Forty
*Ail of her Convoy, so the Coast of Portugal, three 1.1. igo-s
North nf Cape Mondusge, when en bar Pasmage foe Ille West
Indies, u the2d of April, 1804.
Monday, the tGth of March, sailed from the Cove
of Cork, in company with His Majesty's ship Carvs-
for t, and 69 sail of merchant ships, under convoy for
the West Indies; 27th were out of sight of land, with a
fair wind, blowing a strong gale and steering about
W.S.W. the 23th, 2!)•.h, and 3uth,weatlier and course
neatly the same: 31st, the wind came more to the
westward, but more moderata. Sunday, the Ist of
April, at noon, observed in latitude .10 deg. 61 min.
Worth. Longitude per account, 12 deg. 29 min.
west; at eight o'clock on Sunday evening, the wind
shifted to the S. W. blowing fresh; course S.S.E.
At ten, up main-sail, and set the main stay-sail.
At a quarter past ten, the main stay-sail split by
the sheet giving way ; called all hands upon deck.
At half past ten strong breezes and squally, took in
the tnretopsail, and set the foresail. At ball past
eleven, the main-top sail split, (pried it, and the
mainsail. The ship was now under her foresail,l
main and miren storm stay-sails; the wind blowing
! bard, with a heavy sea.

About half past three on Monday morning, the
2d, the ship struck the ground, to the astonishment
of every one on board, and by the above reckoning,
we then conjectured upon an unknown shoal. She
continued striking the ground very heavy several
times, by which her bottom was materially damaged,
and making much water; the chain-pumps were
rigged with the utmost dispatch, and the men be-
gan to pump, but in about ten minutes she beat and
drove over the shoal. On endeavouring to steer her,
found the rudder carried as ay ; she then got before
the wind ; the pumps w ere kept goir.g, but from
the quantity of water she shipped, there was every
probability of her soon fooadeting, as she was fill-
ing, and sinking very fast.
After rutting about live minutes, the ship struck
the ground again, Kith such tremendous shocks,
that we were fearful she would instantly go to
pieces, and kept striking and driving further on the
sands, the sea making bleaches completely over her.
Cut away the lanyard, of the main and mizen rig-
ging, and the masts fell, with a tremendous crash,
over the larboard side; the fore-mast went immedi-
ately after. The ship then fell on her starboard
side, with the gunwale under water. The violence
with which she struck the ground, and the weight
of the guns, those on the quarter-deck tearing away
the bulwark, soon made the ship a perfect wreck
abaft ; only four or five guns could possibly be fired
to alarm the convoy, and give notice of danger.
On her striking the second time, most pitiful cries
were heard every where between decks, many of
the men giving themselves up to inevitable death.
was told that I might as well stay below, as there
was an equal likelihood of perishing if I got upon
deck. I was determined to go, but first attempted
to enter my cabin, and was in danger of having my
legs broke by the chests floating about, and the
bulk-heads were giving way ; I therefore desisted,
and endeavoured to get upon deck, which I effected,
after being several times washed down the hatch-
way, by the immense volume of water incessantly
pouring down. The ship still beating the ground
very heavy, made it necessary to cling fast to some
part of the wreck, to prevent being washed by the
surges, or hurled by the dread concussions, over-
board ; the people holding fast by the larboard bul-
wark of the quarter-deck, and in the main-chan-
nels, while our good Captain stood naked upon the
cabin sky-light grating, holding fast by the stump
of the mizen-mast, and making use of every sooth-
ing expres.ion which could have been suggested to
encourage men in such a perilous situation. Most
of the Officers and men were entirely naked, not
having time even to slip on a pair of trowsers. Our
horrible situation ever) moment became more dread-
ful ; until day-light appearing, about half-past four
o'clock, discovered to us the land, at about two
cable's length distance, a long sandy beach, reaching
to Cape Mondego, three leagues to the southward
of us. On day-light clearing up, we could perceive
between 20 and tiO sail of the convoy ashore, both
to the northward and southward, and several of
them perfect wrecks. We were now certain of be-
ing on the coast of Portugal, from seeing the above
Cape, though, I am sorry to say, no person in the
ship had the least idea of being so near that coast.
It blowing hard, and a very great swell of the sea
(or what is generally termed waves running moun-
tains high), there was little prospea of being saved.
About eight o'clock, there being every likelihood
of the ship going to pieces, and the after-part lay-
ing lowest, Captain Dixon ordered every person
forward, which it was very difficult to comply with,
from the motion of the mainmast working on the
larboard gunwale, there being no other way to get
forward. Mr. Cooke, the Boatswain, had his thigh
broke, in endeavouring to get a boat over the side ;
of six fine boats, not one was saved, being all stove,
and washed overboard with the booms, &c. Soon
after the people got forward, the ship parted at the
gangways. The crew were now obliged to stow
themselves in the fore-channels, and from thence to
the bowsprit-end, to thc number of 220 ; for out of
240 persons on board when the ship first struck, I
suppose 20 to have previously perished between
decks and otherwise. Mr. Lawton, the gunner,
1 the first who attempted to swim a-shore, was drown-
ed ; afterwards, Lieutenant Wilson, Mr. Runde,
Surgeon, Mr. M'Cabe, Surgeon's Mate, Mr. Stand-
ley, Master's Mate, and several men, shared the
same fate, by reason of the sea breaking in enor-
mous surges over them, though excellent swimmers.
About 30 persons had the good fortune to reach the
shore, upon planks and spars, among whom were
Lieutenant Harvey, and Mr. Callan, Master's
Mate. Monday night, our situation was truly hor-
rid, the old men and boys dying through hunger
and fatigue ; also, Mr. Proby and Mr. Hayes, Mid-
shipmen. Captain Dixon remained all this night
upon the bowsprit.
Tuesday morning presented as no better prosped
of being relieved from the jaws of death ; the wind
blowing stronger, and the sea much more turbulent.
About neon, this day, our drooping spirits were
somewhat raised by seeing Lieut. Harvey, and
Mr. Callan, hoisting out a boat from one of the
merchant ships to come to the assistance of their
distressed shipmates. They several times attempted
to launch her through the surf; but being a very
heavy boat, they could not possibly effete it. Seve-
ral men went upon rafts this day, made from pieces
of the wreck, but not one soul reached the shore ;
the wind having shifted, and ;he current setting
out, they were all driven to sea; among whom was
our Captain, who, about three in the afternoon, went
on the jib boom with three seamen; anxious to save
the remainder of the ship's company, and too san-
guine of getting safe on shore, ventured upon the
spar, saying, on jumping into the sea—'" My lads,
I'll save you all." In a few seconds he lost his
bold of the spar, which he could not regain; he
drifted to sea, and perished. Such was also the fate
of the three brave volunteers who chose his fortune.
The night drawing on, the wind increasing, frequent
showers of rain, the sea washed over us, and looking
every instant for the forecastle giving way, when is e
must have all perished together, afforded a speClacle
truly deplorable. After the most painful night that
is possible to conceive, on day-light appearing, we
observed Lieutenant Harvey and Mr. Cailam again

endeavouriiT to launch the brat. Several attempts
were made without success, a number of men belong-
ing to the merchant ships being much bruised and
hurt in assisting ; alternate hopes 7:1 d fears now per-
vaded our wretched minds ; fifteen men got safe on
shore this morning, on pieces of the wreck. About
three in the afternoon of Wednesday the 4th, we
had the inexpressible happiness of seeing the boat
launched through the suit; by the indefatigable ex-
ertion of the above officers, assisted by the masters
of the merchant ships, with a number of Pottuguese
peasants, who were encouraged by Mr. Whitney, the
British Consul, from Figuient. All the crew then
remaining on die wreck were brought safe on shore.
Some ships sunk with all their crew, and almost
every ship lost, from two to twelve men each ; yet
the situation of the remainder was not equal to that
of the frigate's ship's company; as the merchant
ships drawing a less draught of water, were mostly.
driven close on the shore, and no person remained
on board them after the first morning.

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