Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy: A weird series of tales of shipwreck and disaster, from the earliest part of the century to the present time, with accounts of providential escapes and heart-rending fatalities.Anonymous
History
Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy: A weird series of tales of shipwreck and disaster, from the earliest part of the century to the present time, with accounts of providential escapes and heart-rending fatalities.
Anonymous
Mutiny; Pirates; Seafaring life; Shipwrecks
The struggles and confusion to which this incident gave birth, can
better be conceived than described; some of the crew were drowned, one
man had his arm broke, and many were cruelly lacerated; but Captain
Palmer refused to quit his station, while any individual remained on
board; and not until the whole of his people had gained the rock did
he endeavor to save himself. At that time, in consequence of remaining
by the wreck, he had received considerable personal injury, and must
infallibly have perished, had not some of the seamen ventured through
a tremendous sea to his assistance. The boats were staved in pieces;
several of the people endeavored to haul in the jolly-boat, which they
were incapable of accomplishing.
The hull of the vessel being interposed, sheltered the shipwrecked
crew a long time from the beating of the surf; but as she broke up,
their situation became more perilous every moment, and they soon found
that they should be obliged to abandon the small portion of the rock,
which they had reached, and wade to another apparently somewhat
larger. The first lieutenant, by watching the breaking of the seas,
had got safely thither, and it was resolved by the rest to follow his
example. Scarce was this resolution formed, and attempted to be put
into execution, when the people encountered an immense quantity of
loose spars, which were immediately washed into the channel which
they had to pass; but necessity would admit of no alternative. Many in
crossing between the two rocks were severely wounded; and they
suffered more in this undertaking than in gaining the first rock from
the ship. The loss of their shoes was now felt in particular, for the
sharp rocks tore their feet in a dreadful manner, and the legs of some
were covered with blood.
Daylight beginning to appear, disclosed the horrors by which those
unfortunate men were surrounded. The sea was covered with the wreck of
their ill fated ship, many of their unhappy comrades were seen
floating away on spars and timbers; and the dead and dying were
mingled together without a possibility of the survivors affording
assistance to any that might still be rescued. Two short hours had
been productive of all this misery, the ship destroyed and her crew
reduced to a situation of despair. Their wild and affrighted looks
indicated the sensations by which they were agitated; but on being
recalled to a sense of their real condition, they saw that they had
nothing left but resignation to the will of heaven.
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