Military Memoirs of Capt. George CarletonDefoe, Daniel
History
Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories; Great Britain -- History, Military -- Fiction; Soldiers -- Fiction
Return of Morning; It came at last; yet even slowly as it came, when
come, we thought it come too soon, a new Scene of sudden Death being all
the Advantage of its first Appearance. Our Ship was driving full Speed,
towards the _Breakers_ on the _Cabritton_ Shore, between _Burdeaux_ and
_Bayonne_; which filled us with Ideas more terrible than all before,
since those were past, and these seemingly as certain. Beside, to add to
our Distress, the Tide was driving in, and consequently must drive us
fast to visible Destruction. A State so evident, that one of our
Sailors, whom great Experience had render'd more sensible of our present
Danger, was preparing to save one, by lashing himself to the main Mast,
against the expected Minute of Desolation. He was about that melancholy
Work, in utter Despair of any better Fortune, when, as loud as ever he
could bawl, he cry'd out, _a Point, a Point of Wind_. To me, who had had
too much of it, it appear'd like the Sound of the last Trump; but to the
more intelligent Crew, it had a different Sound. With Vigour and
Alacrity they started from their Prayers, or their Despair, and with all
imaginable Speed, unlash'd the Rudder, and hoisted all their Sails.
Never sure in Nature did one Minute produce a greater Scene of
Contraries. The more skilful Sailors took Courage at this happy Presage
of Deliverance. And according to their Expectation did it happen; that
heavenly Point of Wind deliver'd us from the Jaws of those _Breakers_,
ready open to devour us; and carrying us out to the much more wellcome
wide Sea, furnished every one in the Ship with Thoughts, as distant as
we thought our Danger.
We endeavoured to make _Port Passage_; but our Ship became unruly, and
would not answer her Helm; for which Reason we were glad to go before
the Wind, and make for the Harbour of _Saint Jean de Luz_. This we
attain'd without any great Difficulty, and to the Satisfaction of all,
Sailors as well as Passengers, we there cast Anchor, after the most
terrible Storm (as all the oldest Sailors agreed) and as much Danger as
ever People escap'd.
Here I took notice, that the Sailors buoy'd up their Cables with
Hogsheads; enquiring into the Reason of which, they told me, that the
Rocks at the Bottom of the Harbour were by Experience found to be so
very sharp, that they would otherwise cut their Cables asunder. Our Ship
was obliged to be drawn up into the Dock to be refitted; during which, I
lay in the Town, where nothing of Moment, or worth reciting, happen'd.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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