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
Munroe and Dunlap, who, during the night, had preserved their strength
and spirits, and had done everything in their power to sustain their
less fortunate comrades, refused to quit the wreck until the other two
men, who were so exhausted as to be unable to make any effort for
their own safety, were taken on shore. They accordingly lifted them
into the skiff, and the gallant boy rowed them off in triumph to the
Cove, and deposited them in safety in the nearest cottage.
He again put off in his skiff, but this time all his efforts were
unavailing, and he was obliged to return. His gallant example,
however, had the effect of inducing others to make the attempt, and
the six survivors were conveyed to the shore in large boats.
THE RESISTANCE
Before concluding this chapter, we will briefly relate another
catastrophe, somewhat similar to that of the Amphion, but which
affords a still more remarkable instance of the preservation of four
individuals, from one of whom the following particulars were
ascertained:----
It appears that the RESISTANCE, of 44 guns, Captain Edward Pakenham,
had anchored in the Straits of Banca, on the 23rd of July, 1798.
Between three and four o'clock in the morning of the 24th, the ship
was struck by lightning: the electric fluid must have penetrated and
set fire to some part of the vessel near to the magazine, as she blew
up with a fearful violence a few moments after the flash. Thomas
Scott, a seaman, one of the few survivors, stated that he was lying
asleep on the starboard side of the quarter-deck, when being suddenly
awakened by a bright blaze, and the sensation of scorching heat, he
found his hair and clothes were on fire. A tremendous explosion
immediately followed, and he became insensible. He supposed that some
minutes must have elapsed before he recovered, when he found himself,
with many of his comrades, struggling in the waves amongst pieces of
the wreck. The Resistance had sunk, but the hammock netting was just
above water on the starboard side, and with much difficulty Scott and
the other survivors contrived to reach it. When they were able to look
around them, they found that twelve men alone remained of a crew of
above three hundred, including the marines. The calmness of the
weather enabled the unfortunate sufferers to construct a raft with the
pieces of timber that were floating about; but most of the men were so
much bruised and burnt as to be unable to assist in the work. The raft
was finished about one o'clock, P.M., but in a very rough and insecure
manner. Part of the mainsail attached to the mast of the jolly-boat
served them for a sail, and they committed themselves to the care of
Providence upon this frail raft, and made for the nearest shore, which
was the low land of Sumatra, about three leagues distant.
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