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 boat having been hoisted out, and such necessaries placed in her
as were deemed requisite, one of the hands was sent aloft to lash the
colors downwards to the main-top-mast shrouds; which having done, he
placed himself on the crosstrees, to look around him, and almost
instantly hallooed out,--"A sail."--It would be impossible to describe
the ecstatic emotions of the crew: every man was aloft, in order to be
satisfied; though, a minute before, not one of the crew was able to
stand upright.
The sail was on our weather-bow, bearing right down on us with a
smart breeze. She soon perceived us, but hauled her wind several
times, in order to examine our ship. As she approached nearer she
clearly perceived our calamitous situation, and hastened to our
relief.
She proved to be a Philadelphia schooner, bound to Cape Francois, in
St. Domingo. The captain took us all on board in the most humane and
friendly manner, and after casting our boat adrift, proceeded on his
voyage. When we perceived our ship from the vessel on which we were
now happily on board, her appearance was truly deplorable.
The captain of the schooner congratulated us on our fortunate escape,
and expressed his surprise that the ship should remain so long on her
beam ends, in such a heavy sea, without capsizing. We soon began to
distance the wreck, by this time very low in the water, and shortly
after lost sight of her.
The evening began to approach fast, when a man loosing the
main-top-sail, descried a sail directly in the same course on our
quarter. We made sail for her, and soon came within hail of her. She
proved to be a brig from Glasgow, bound to Antigua. It was now
determined, between the captains, that half of our people should
remain in the schooner, and the captain, mate, eight of the crew, and
myself, should get on board the brig. On our arrival at Antigua we met
with much kindness and humanity.
LOSS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP LITCHFIELD.
The Litchfield, Captain Barton, left Ireland on the 11th of November,
1758, in company with several other men of war and transports, under
the command of Commodore Keppel, intended for the reduction of Goree.
The voyage was prosperous till the 28th, when at eight in the evening
I took charge of the watch, and the weather turned out very squally
with rain. At nine it was extremely dark, with much lightning, the
wind varying from S. W. to W. N. W. At half past nine, had a very hard
squall. Captain Barton came upon deck and staid till ten; then left
orders to keep sight of the commodore, and to make what sail the
weather would permit. At eleven, saw the commodore bearing south, but
the squalls coming on so heavy, were obliged to hand the
main-top-sail, and at twelve o'clock, were under our courses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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