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
'On her drifting a second time, most pitiful cries were heard
everywhere between decks; many of the men giving themselves up to
inevitable death. I was told that I might as well stay below, as there
was an equal likelihood of perishing if I got upon deck. I was,
however, determined to go--and attempted, in the first place, to enter
my cabin, but I was in danger of having my legs broken by the chests
floating about, and the bulkheads giving way.
'I therefore desisted and endeavoured to get upon deck, which I
effected after being several times washed down the hatchway by the
immense body of water incessantly pouring down. As the ship still beat
the ground very heavily, it was necessary to cling fast to some part
of the wreck to save oneself from being washed away by the surges, or
hurled overboard by the concussions. The people held on by the
larboard bulwark of the quarter-deck and in the main chains. The good
captain stood naked upon the cabin skylight grating, making use of
every soothing expression that suggested itself--to encourage men in
such a perilous situation. Most of the officers and men were entirety
naked, not having had time to slip on even a pair of trousers.
'Our horrible situation became every moment more dreadful, until at
daybreak, about half-past four o'clock, we discerned land at two
cables' distance, a long sandy beach reaching to Cape Mondego, three
leagues to the southward of us. On daylight clearing up, we could
perceive between twenty and thirty sail of the convoy ashore, both to
northward and southward, and several of them perfect wrecks. We were
now certain of being on the coast of Portugal, from seeing the cape
mentioned above,--though I am sorry to say no person in the ship had
the least idea of being so near the coast. It was blowing very hard,
and the sea was running mountains high, so that there was little hope
of being saved. About eight o'clock, the ship seemed likely to go to
pieces, and the after part lying lowest, Captain Dixon ordered every
one forward,--a command it was difficult to comply with, from the
motion of the mainmast working on the larboard gunwale, there being no
other way to get forward. Mr. Cook, the boatswain, had his thigh
broken in endeavouring to get a boat over the side. Of six boats not
one was saved, all being stoved, and washed overboard with the booms, &c.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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