On The 17th, Two Seamen, Faint And Exhausted, Were
Washed Overboard.
The next wave threw their bodies back upon the
deck, where they remained, swashing backward and forward, ghastly
objects to the almost perishing survivors.
Mr. Ogden, the
supercargo, who was at the bowsprit, called to the men nearest to
the bodies, to fasten them to the wreck; as a last horrible
resource in case of being driven to extremity by famine!
On the 17th the gale gradually subsided, and the sea became calm.
The sailors now crawled feebly about the wreck, and began to
relieve it from the main incumbrances. The spars were cleared
away, the anchors and guns heaved overboard; the sprit-sail yard
was rigged for a jury-mast, and a mizzen topsail set upon it. A
sort of stage was made of a few broken spars, on which the crew
were raised above the surface of the water, so as to be enabled
to keep themselves dry, and to sleep comfortably. Still their
sufferings from hunger and thirst were great; but there was a
Sandwich Islander on board, an expert swimmer, who found his way
into the cabin, and occasionally brought up a few bottles of wine
and porter, and at length got into the rum, and secured a quarter
cask of wine. A little raw pork was likewise procured, and dealt
out with a sparing hand. The horrors of their situation were
increased by the sight of numerous sharks prowling about the
wreck, as if waiting for their prey. On the 24th, the cook, a
black man, died, and was cast into the sea, when he was instantly
seized on by these ravenous monsters.
They had been several days making slow headway under their scanty
sail, when, on the 25th, they came in sight of land. It was about
fifteen leagues distant, and they remained two or three days
drifting along in sight of it. On the 28th, they descried, to
their great transport, a canoe approaching, managed by natives.
They came alongside, and brought a most welcome supply of
potatoes. They informed them that the land they had made was one
of the Sandwich Islands. The second mate and one of the seamen
went on shore in the canoe for water and provisions, and to
procure aid from the islanders, in towing the wreck into a
harbor.
Neither of the men returned, nor was any assistance sent from
shore. The next day, ten or twelve canoes came alongside, but
roamed round the wreck like so many sharks, and would render no
aid in towing her to land.
The sea continued to break over the vessel with such violence,
that it was impossible to stand at the helm without the
assistance of lashings. The crew were now so worn down by famine
and thirst, that the captain saw it would be impossible for them
to withstand the breaking of the sea, when the ship should
ground; he deemed the only chance for their lives, therefore, was
to get to land in the canoes, and stand ready to receive and
protect the wreck when she should drift ashore.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 293 of 320
Words from 151019 to 151540
of 165649
