Sail for Liverpool in the Sally and Kitty--Fall in with
a Gale--Boy overboard--Nearly drowned in attempting to
save him--See the owners at Liverpool--Embark in the
Dalrymple for the Coast of Africa--Arrive off Senegal.
A great deal of prize-money being due to us, I called upon the agent
at Port Royal to obtain an advance. I found him in a puzzle. Owing to
the death of Captain Weatherall and so many of the officers, he hardly
knew whether those who applied to him were entitled to prize-money or
not. Whether he thought I appeared more honest than the others, or
from what cause I know not, he requested me, as I knew every thing
that had passed, to remain with him for a short time; and finding that
I could read and write well, he obtained from me correct lists of the
privateer's crew, with those who were killed, and on what occasion.
All this information I was able to give him, as well as the ratings of
the parties; for on more than one occasion the privateers'-men had
come to him representing themselves as petty officers, when they were
only common seamen on board, and had in consequence received from him
a larger advance than they were entitled to. As soon as his accounts
were pretty well made up, he asked me whether I intended to go to
England, as if so, he would send me home with all the papers and
documents to the owner at Liverpool, who would require my assistance
to arrange the accounts; and as I had had quite enough of privateering
for a time, I consented to go. About two months after leaving the
hospital, during which I had passed a very pleasant life, and quite
recovered from my wounds and injuries, I sailed for Liverpool in the
Sally and Kitty West-Indiaman, commanded by Captain Clarke, a very
violent man.
We had not sailed twelve hours before we fell in with a gale, which
lasted several days, and we kept under close-reef-topsails and
storm-staysails. The gale lasting a week, raised a mountainous swell,
but it was very long and regular. On the seventh day the wind abated,
but the swell continued, and at evening there was very little wind,
when a circumstance occurred which had nearly cost me my life, as you
will acknowledge, Madam, when I relate the story to you. During the
dog-watch between six and eight, some hands being employed in the
foretop, the other watch below at supper, and the captain and all the
officers in the cabin, I being at the helm, heard a voice apparently
rising out of the sea, calling me by name. Surprised, I ran to the
side of the ship, and saw a youth named Richard Pallant in the water
going astern. He had fallen out of the forechains, and knowing that I
was at the helm, had shouted to me for help. I immediately called all
hands, crying a man overboard. The captain hastened on deck with all
the others, and ordered the helm a-lee. The ship went about, and then
fell round off, driving fast before the swell, till at last we brought
her to.
The captain, although a resolute man, was much confused and perplexed
at the boy's danger--for his friends were people of property at
Ipswich, and had confided the boy to his particular care. He ran
backwards and forwards, crying out that the boy must perish, as the
swell was so high that he dared not send a boat, for the boat could
not live in such a sea, and if the boat were lost with the crew, there
would not be hands enow left on board to take the vessel home. As the
youth was not a hundred yards from the vessel, I stated the
possibility of swimming to him with the deep-sea line, which would be
strong enough to haul both him and the man who swam to him on board.
Captain Clarke, in a great rage, swore that it was impossible, and
asked me who the devil would go. Piqued at his answer, and anxious to
preserve the life of the youth, I offered to try it myself. I
stripped, and making the line fast round my body, plunged from the
ship's side into the sea. It was a new deep-sea line, and stiff in the
coil, so that not drawing close round me, it slipped, and I swam
through it, but catching it as it slipped over my feet, I made it
secure by putting my head and one arm through the noose. I swam direct
for the boy, and found that I swam with ease, owing to the strength
and buoyant nature of the water in those latitudes. I had not swum
more than half-way before the line got foul on the coil on board, and
checking me suddenly, it pulled me backwards and under water. I
recovered myself, and struck out again. During this time, to clear the
line on board, they had cut some of the entangled parts, and in the
confusion and hurry, severed the wrong part, so that the end went
overboard, and I had half the coil of line hanging to me, and at the
same time was adrift from the ship. They immediately hailed me to
return, but from the booming of the waves I could not hear what they
said, and thought that they were encouraging me to proceed. I shouted
in return to show the confidence which I had in myself. I easily
mounted the waves as they breasted me, but still I made my way very
slowly against such a swell, and saw the boy only at intervals when I
was on the top of the wave. He could swim very little, and did not
make for the ship, but with his eyes fixed upon the sky, paddled like
a dog to keep himself above water. I now began to feel the weight of
the line upon me, and to fear that I should never hold out. I began to
repent of my rashness, and thought I had only sacrificed myself
without any chance of saving him. I persevered, nevertheless, and
having, as I guessed, come to the spot where the boy was, I looked
round, and not seeing him, was afraid that he had gone down, but on
mounting the next wave, I saw him in the hollow, struggling hard to
keep above water, and almost spent with his long exertion.
I swam down to him, and hailing him, found he was still sensible, but
utterly exhausted. I desired him to hold on by my hand but not to
touch my body, as we should both sink. He promised to obey me, and I
held out my right-hand to him, and made a signal for them to haul in
on board, for I had no idea that the line had been cut. I was
frightened when I perceived the distance that the ship was from me--at
least a quarter of a mile. I knew that the deep-sea line was but a
hundred fathoms in length, and therefore that I must be adrift, and my
heart sunk within me. All the horrors of my situation came upon me,
and I felt that I was lost; but although death appeared inevitable, I
still struggled for life--but the rope now weighed me down more and
more. While swimming forward it trailed behind, and although it
impeded my way, I did not feel half its weight. Now, however, that I
was stationary, it sank deep, and pulled me down with it. The waves,
too, which, while I breasted them and saw them approach, I easily rose
over, being now behind us, broke over our heads, burying us under
them, or rolling us over by their force.
I tried to disengage myself from the line, but the noose being jammed,
and having the boy in one hand, I could not possibly effect it. But
what gave me courage in my difficulties was, that I perceived that the
people on board were getting out the boat; for although the captain
would not run the risk for one person, now that two were overboard,
and one of them risking his life for the other, the men insisted that
the boat should be hoisted out. It was an anxious time to me, but at
last I had the satisfaction of seeing her clear of the ship, and
pulling round her bow. The danger was, however, considered so great,
that when they came to man the boat, only three men could be found who
would go in her, and in the confusion they came away with but two oars
and no rudder. Under these disadvantages they of course pulled very
slowly against a mountainous sea, as they were obliged to steer with
the oars to meet it, that the boat might not be swamped. But the
sight of the boat was sufficient to keep me up. My exertions were
certainly incredible; but what will not a man do when in fear of
death. As it approached--slowly and slowly did my powers decrease. I
was now often under water with the boy, and rose again to fresh
exertion, when at last a crested wave broke over us, and down we went
several feet under the water. The force of the sea drove the boy
against me, and he seized me by the loins with my head downwards. I
struggled to disengage myself! It was impossible. I gave myself up for
lost--and what a crowd of thoughts, and memories passed through my
brain in a few moments, for it could not have been longer. At last,
being head downwards, I dived deeper, although I was bursting from so
long holding my breath under water.
This had the desired effect. Finding me sinking instead of rising with
him, the boy let go his hold that he might gain the surface. I turned
and followed him, and drew breath once more. Another moment had sealed
our fates. I no longer thought of saving the boy, but struck out for
the boat which was now near me. Perceiving this, the boy cried out to
me for pity's sake not to leave him. I felt myself so far recovered
from my exhaustion, that I thought I could save him as well as myself,
and compassion induced me to turn back. I again gave him my hand,
charging him on his life not to attempt to grapple with me, and again
resumed the arduous struggle of keeping him as well as myself above
water. My strength was nearly gone, the boat approached but slowly,
and we now sunk constantly under the water, rising every few seconds
to draw breath. Merciful God! how slow appeared the approach of the
boat. Struggle after struggle--fainter and fainter still--still I
floated. At last my senses almost left me, I took in water in
quantities. I felt I was in green fields, when I was seized by the men
and thrown into the bottom of the boat, where I lay senseless
alongside of the boy. There was great danger and difficulty in getting
again to the ship. More than once the boat was half filled by the
following seas, and when they gained the ship it was impossible to get
us out, as, had they approached the side, the boat would have been
dashed to atoms. They lowered the tackles from the yard-arms. The
three men clambered up them, leaving us to take our chance of the
boat being got in, or her being stove to pieces; in which latter case,
we should have been lost. They did get us in, with great damage to the
boat, but we were saved. The line was still round me, and it was found
that I had been supporting the weight of seventy yards. So sore was I
with such exertion, that I kept my hammock for many days, during which
I reviewed my past life, and vowed amendment.
We arrived at Liverpool without any further adventure worth recording,
and I immediately called upon the owner with the papers intrusted to
me. I gave him all the information he required, and he asked me
whether I should like to return to privateering, or to go as mate of a
vessel bound to the coast of Africa. I inquired what her destination
was to be, and as I found that she was to go to Senegal for ivory,
wax, gold dust, and other articles, in exchange for English prints and
cutlery, I consented. I mention this, as, had she been employed in the
slave-trade, as were most of the vessels from Liverpool to the Coast,
I would not have joined her. A few days afterwards, I went on board of
the Dalrymple, Captain Jones, as mate; we had a very quick passage to
Senegal, and brought our vessel to an anchor off the bar.