Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1.: With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During; The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.; By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative; Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea.Stokes, John Lort
History
Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1.: With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During; The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.; By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative; Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea.
Stokes, John Lort
Australia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Australia
As soon as the raft was completed, they got upon it, but finding that it
was not buoyant enough to hold them, they threw over the water the pork
and beer. Still it did not support their weight, so the greater number
returned on board; leaving Mr. Moore the master, Mr. Grant the surgeon,
Captain and Mrs. D'Oyly, and their two children, their nurse, a native of
India, and Mr. Armstrong, passengers; also two seamen, named Lounce and
Berry, who determined to remain upon it all night. In the morning,
however, it was found that the rope by which the raft had been made fast
to the stern of the wreck had been cut, and nothing was seen of their
companions. It is probable that the uncomfortable situation in which they
found themselves, up to their waists in water, and the sea constantly
breaching over them, induced the master to cut the rope and trust to
Providence to guide himself and the passengers to some place of safety.
Those that remained then made another raft of the vessel's topmasts
lashed together with coir rope, and made a sail out of some cloth which
formed a part of her cargo. It took seven days before it was completed,
when they launched off and bid adieu to the ill-fated vessel, which was
probably soon broken up, for at high-water the sea breached over her.
The vessel that was seen with her masts standing, was too far to windward
for them to reach, for even the boat could not make way against the wind
and current. Upon casting off, they set their sail and steered before the
wind, but the raft was so heavy and deep that very little progress was
made. She drifted rather than sailed, and probably did not go more than a
mile or one mile and a half an hour. After some time they came to a reef
upon which they remained for the night, and the next morning proceeded
before the wind, but saw no more reefs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account