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 Betsey, a small schooner of about 75 tons burden, sailed from
Macao in China, for New South Wales, on the 10th of November, 1805.
Her complement consisted of William Brooks, commander, Edward
Luttrell, mate, one Portuguese seacunny, three Manilla and four
Chinese Lascars. No incident worthy of commemoration happened from the
10th to 20th of November. Next day, when the vessel was going at the
rate of seven knots and a half an hour, she struck on a reef of rocks
at half past two in the morning, while in north latitude 9 48, and
114 14 east longitude. The boat was instantly let down, and a small
anchor sent astern, but on heaving, the cable parted, and both were
lost. The people next endeavored to construct a raft of the water
casks, but the swell proved so great that they found it impossible to
accomplish their purpose. At day-break they found that the vessel had
forged four or five miles on the reef, which they now discovered
extended nine or ten miles to the south, and four or five east and
west; and there were only two feet water where she lay. During three
days and nights, the utmost exertions were made to get her off without
avail, and the crew had then become so weakened that they could scarce
be persuaded to construct a raft.
The vessel now had bulged on the starboard side. But a raft being made
on the 24th, the people left her with the jolly-boat in company, and
steered for Balambangan. Captain Brooks, the mate, the gunner and two
seacunnies were in the latter, where their whole provision consisted
of only a small bag of biscuit; and on the raft were the Portuguese,
four Chinese and three Malays, but much better provided.
The boat and the raft parted company on the same day, as a brisk gale
arose from the westward, and the raft was never heard of more; but it
was conjectured to have probably drifted on the island of Borneo,
which then bore south-east. The gale continued from the north-west
until the 28th of the month, accompanied by a mountainous sea, and
then ceased. By this time the fresh water taken into the boat was
completely expended, and all the biscuit that remained was wet with
salt water.
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