Narratives of Shipwrecks of the Royal Navy; between 1793 and 1849Gilly, William O. S.
History
Narratives of Shipwrecks of the Royal Navy; between 1793 and 1849
Gilly, William O. S.
Great Britain. Royal Navy -- History -- 18th century; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- History -- 19th century; Shipwrecks
The crew of the Grasshopper had now their attention called to the
situation of the Hero. It was first supposed that she was at anchor,
although she fired several guns, and burnt blue lights, which in about
half-an-hour ceased. At daylight it was discovered that both the ships
were inside the Northern Haaks, about five or six miles from the Texel
Island. About a mile from the Grasshopper was the Hero--a complete
wreck--lying on her starboard broadside. The ship's company were all
crowded together upon the poop and forecastle; the sea making clean
breaches over her. An attempt was made by the crew of the Grasshopper
to reach the Hero, but the surf ran so high that it prevented all
communication, and they were under the imperious necessity of seeing
their comrades perish, without the slightest possibility of being able
to render them assistance.
The Hero had hoisted a flag of truce, and fired a gun: in a short time
these signals of distress were answered, by several vessels putting
out from the Texel to her relief; but owing to the flood-tide, and the
strong gale of wind then blowing, the boats were unable to get nearer
than three miles.
Notwithstanding that those on board the Grasshopper were themselves in
a most precarious position, from the repeated shocks the ship had
sustained by striking against the ground, their attention was
completely diverted from themselves, in their anxiety for the fate of
the Hero. The waves burst with relentless fury over the doomed vessel,
every moment snatching a victim from the now almost deserted decks.
As the night was approaching, and the weather still continued
boisterous, Captain Fanshawe, having taken the opinion of the
officers, judged that there was no other alternative for saving the
lives of his crew than by surrendering to the enemy. At four o'clock
the cable was cut, and they made sail for the Helder Point, where they
surrendered to the Dutch Vice-Admiral, De Wintner.
The Hero went to pieces during the night: in the morning not a vestige
of her was to be seen. Every exertion was made by the Dutch squadron
to save the crew, but the weather was so stormy, that all their
efforts proved abortive, and thus every soul on board perished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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