Cornish Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
"The wind was now blowing strong from the westward, with a heavy sea,
and the day just dawned. Estimating ourselves to be at the distance of
350 miles from S. John's, Newfoundland, with a prospect of a
continuance of westerly winds, it became necessary to use the
strictest economy. I represented to my companions in distress that our
resolution, once made, ought on no account to be changed, and that we
must begin by suffering privations, which I foresaw would be greater
than I ventured to explain. To each person, therefore, were served out
half a biscuit and a glass of wine, which was the only allowance for
the ensuing twenty-four hours, all agreeing to leave the water
untouched as long as possible."
On the following day even this small allowance had to be contracted,
in consequence of the biscuit being much damaged by salt water during
the night. "Soon after daylight we made sail, with the jolly-boat in
tow, and stood close-hauled to the northward and westward, in the hope
of reaching the coast of Newfoundland or of being picked up by some
vessel. Passed two islands of ice. We now said prayers, and returned
thanks to God for our deliverance."
It was now the 4th July. The sufferings of those in the boats became
excessive. The commander of the French schooner that had been captured
went mad, and threw himself overboard. One of the French prisoners
became so outrageous that it was found necessary to lash him to the
bottom of the boat.
At last, on this same day, the 4th July, after seven days of dreadful
privation and incessant storm, they reached Conception Bay, in the
Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland. They had been reduced to a quarter of
a biscuit per diem and a wine-glass of port wine and spirit, and then
of water.
Captain Fellowes says: "Overpowered by my own feelings, and impressed
with the recollections of our sufferings and the sight of so many
deplorable objects, I promised to offer up our solemn thanks to heaven
for our miraculous deliverance. Every one cheerfully assented, and as
soon as I opened the Prayer-book there was an universal silence. A
spirit of devotion was singularly manifested on this occasion, and to
the benefits of a religious sense in uncultivated minds must be
ascribed that discipline, good order, and exertion, which even the
sight of land could scarcely produce.
"The wind having blown with great violence from off the coast, we did
not reach the landing-place at Island Cove till four o'clock in the
evening. All the women and children in the village, with two or three
fishermen (the rest of the men being absent), came down to the beach,
and appearing deeply affected at our wretched situation, assisted in
carrying us up the craggy rocks, over which we were obliged to pass to
get to their habitations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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