for saving the ship and the lives of the people had been adopted, but
that he expected the decks to blow up every moment. The priest was
stunned by the intelligence, but answered, that he would immediately
go and give his people absolution for dying; "which he did," says
Captain Nicholls; "and I think a more melancholy scene cannot be
supposed than so many people, hearty, strong and in health, looking at
each other with tears in their eyes, bewailing their unhappy
condition. No fancy can picture the seeming distraction of the poor
unhappy children clinging to their mothers, and the wives hanging over
their husbands, lamenting their miserable fate:--Shocking situation!
words cannot describe it."
Captain Nicholls then called the men down the main-hatchway, along
with him, to examine the leak in the hold. He told them they must be
content with their fate; and as they were certain they had done their
duty, they should submit to Providence with pious resignation. He
walked on deck with Captain Moore, desiring him to devise any
expedient to save them from perishing. With tears in his eyes, Captain
Moore assured him that he knew of none, as all that could be thought
of had been used. Providence, in Captain Nicholls' belief, induced him
to propose attempting to hoist out the boats, so that if a ship should
appear, their lives might be saved, as the gale was more moderate. But
to this proposal, Captain Moore said it would be impossible, as every
body would endeavor to get into them. Captain Nicholls, however, was
of a different opinion, observing, that, under their severe trial, the
sailors had behaved with uncommon resolution, and were very obedient
to his commands, he flattered himself that they would all continue so;
and all were sensible, that in case the ship broached to, the masts
must be cut away, to prevent her from oversetting; when it would be
beyond their power to hoist out the boats. He then called the mates,
carpenters and men and proposed to get out the boats, at the same time
acquainting them that it was to save every soul on board if possible,
and declaring that if any person should be so rash as to insist on
going into them, besides those he should think proper, that they
should immediately be scuttled. But all solemnly maintained that his
commands should be as implicitly obeyed as if the ship had been in her
former good condition; thus setting an example which is rarely to be
found.
Captain Nicholls then went to acquaint the chief prisoner on board
with what was about to be attempted. He was an hundred and ten years
old, the father of the whole island of St. John's, and had a number of
children, grand-children and other relations, in the ship. His
observation was, that he was convinced Captain Nicholls would not do a
bad action, for, by experience, he had found how much care he had
taken of him and his friends, and likewise what endeavors had been
used to save the ship and their lives; therefore they were ready to
assist in any thing he should propose. Captain Nicholls assured him
that he would not forsake them, but run an equal chance; this he
thought the only means of saving their lives, should it please
Providence to send any ship to their assistance, and it was their duty
to use all means given to them.
He next asked Mr. Fox and the carpenter whether they were willing to
venture in the long-boat, to which they boldly answered in the
affirmative, as, whether they perished on the spot, or a mile or two
farther off, was a matter of very little consequence, and as there was
no prospect but death in remaining, they would willingly make the
attempt. Captain Moore, the carpenter and mate, also willingly agreed
to his proposal to go in the cutter.
The cutter was accordingly got over the side, and the ship lying
pretty quiet, they cut the tackles, when she dropt very well into the
water, and the penter brought her up. They next went to work with the
long-boat, and day-light having fairly come in, gave them great
spirits, as they flattered themselves, should it please God Almighty
to send a ship, it would be in their power to save all their lives,
the weather being now much more moderate than before.
The mate and carpenter having cut the runners, the long-boat fell into
the water as well as the cutter had done, and a proper penter being
made fast, she brought up properly.
People were stationed at the main and fore-topmast-heads to look out
for a sail, when to the unspeakable joy of all on board, the man at
the main-topmast cried out that he saw two ships right astern making
after the transport. Captain Nicholls having acquainted the priest,
and the old gentleman, with the good news, the latter took him in his
aged arms, and wept for joy. The captain ordered the ensign to be
hoisted to the main-topmast shrouds, and the guns to be got all clear
for firing. The weather was very hazy, and the ships not far distant
when first discovered; whenever the transport hoisted her signal of
distress, they shewed English colors, and seemed to be West Indiamen;
of about three or four hundred tons.
Captain Nicholls continued loading and firing as fast as possible,
when he perceived the two ships speak with each other, and setting
their foresail and topsails, they hauled their wind, and stood off.
Supposing that the size of his ship, and her having so many men on
board, added to its being the time of war, might occasion distrust, he
ordered the main-mast to be cut away to undeceive them. People had
been placed in the shrouds to cut away in case of necessity; but one
of the shrouds not being properly cut, checked the main-mast and made
it fall right across the boats. On this Captain Nicholls hastily ran
aft, and cut the penters of both the boats, otherwise they would have
been staved to pieces, and sunk immediately. A dismal thing it was to
cut away what could be the only means of saving the people's lives,
and at the same time see the ships so basely leave them. No words can
picture their distress; driven from the greatest joy to the utmost
despair, death now appeared more dreadful. They had only the foresail
hanging in the brails; and the braces of both penters being rendered
useless by the fall of the main-mast, and the yard flying backward and
forward by the rolling of the ship, rendered them apprehensive that
she would instantly overset. The ship ran from the boats, until they
remained just in sight; and finding they made no endeavor to join her,
though each was provided with oars, foremast and foresail, Captain
Nicholls consulted with the boatswain on what was most proper to be
done in their dangerous condition. He said that he thought they
should bring the ship to at all events, though he acknowledged it a
dreadful alternative to hazard her oversetting; the boatswain agreed
that it was extremely dangerous, as the vessel steered very well.
However, Captain Nicholls finding that the men in the boat did not
attempt to join him, called the people aft, and told them his
resolution. They said it was desperate, and so was their condition,
but they were ready to do whatever he thought best. But Captain Moore
seemed to be quite against it. Captain Nicholls then acquainted the
old gentleman, the priest and the rest of the people, who were pleased
to say, let the consequence be what it might, they should be
satisfied, he had acted for the best, and all were resigned to the
consequences.
He therefore ordered men to every fore shroud, and one with an axe to
the foremast to cut it away should that measure become indispensable.
But his own situation he declares to have been in the meantime
dreadful; in reflecting that this alternative, though in his judgment
right, might be the means of sending nearly four hundred souls to
eternity. However, the Almighty endowed him with resolution to
persevere, and he gave orders to bring the ship to. In hauling out the
mizen, which had been greatly chafed, it split; a new staysail was
then bent to bring the ship to, which had the desired effect after a
considerable time, for a heavy sea striking on the starboard quarter,
excited an apprehension that it would be necessary to cut away the
mast. When the men in the yawl saw the ship lying to for them, they
got up their foremast, and ran on board, holding the sheets in their
hands on account of the wind; and as soon as they arrived some men
were sent to row to the assistance of the long-boat. They soon joined
her, got her foremast up, set the sail, as the cutter likewise did,
and to the great joy of all, reached the ship in safety.
Just as the boats came up, the people at the mast-head exclaimed, "A
sail! a sail!" and the captain thought it better to let the ship lie,
as by seeing the main-mast gone, it might be known that she was in
distress. The weather was hazy, and he could see to no great distance,
but the strange vessel was soon near enough to perceive and hear his
guns. She had scarce hoisted her colors, which were Danish, when her
main-topsail sheet gave way; on observing which, Captain Nicholls
conceiving her main-topsail was to be clewed up, and she would come to
his assistance, immediately imparted the good news to the priest and
the rest. Poor deluded people, they hugged him in their arms, calling
him their friend and preserver; but, alas! it was short lived joy,
for as soon as the Dane had knotted, or spliced her topsail sheet, she
stood away, and left them. "What pen is able," says Captain Nicholls,
"to describe the despair that reigned in the ship!" The poor unhappy
people wringing their hands, cried out, "that God had forsaken them."
It was now about three in the afternoon; Captain Nicholls wore the
ship, which she bore very well, and steered tolerably before the wind.
Towards half an hour afterwards, the old gentleman came to him in
tears, and taking him in his arms, said he came by desire of the whole
people to request that he and his men would endeavor to save their
lives in the boats, and as these were insufficient to carry more, they
would by no means be accessory to their destruction; they were well
convinced by their whole conduct that they had done every thing in
their power for their preservation; but that God Almighty had ordained
them to perish, though they trusted he and his men would get safe on
shore. Such gratitude for only doing a duty in endeavoring to save the
lives of the prisoners, as well as their own, astonished Captain
Nicholls; he replied, that there was no hopes of life, and as all had
embarked in the same unhappy voyage, they should all take the same
chance. He thought that they ought to share the same fate. The old
gentleman said that should not be, and if he did not acquaint his
people with the offer he should have their lives to answer for.
Accordingly the captain mentioned it to Captain Moore and the people.
They said that they would with the greatest satisfaction remain, could
any thing be devised for the preservation of the others; but that
being impossible, they would not refuse to comply with their request.
The people then thanking them for their great kindness, with tears in
the eyes of all, hastened down the stern ladder.
As the boats ranged up by the sea under the ships counter, those that
went last cast themselves down, and were caught by the men in the
boat. Captain Nicholls told them, he trusted to their honor that they
would not leave him, as he was determined not to quit the ship until
it was dark, in hopes that Providence would yet send something to
their aid; the whole assured him that he should not be deserted.
He had a little Norse boy on board, whom no entreaties could persuade
to enter the boat until he himself had done so; but as it was growing
dark, he insisted on the boy's going, saying he would immediately
follow him. The boy obeyed, and got on the stern ladder, when a
Frenchman whom the dread of death induced to quit his wife and
children unperceived, made over the taffrail and trod on the Norse
boy's fingers. The boy screamed aloud, which led Captain Nicholls to
believe that some person was in danger, and on repairing to the place,
followed by the old gentleman, they found to their great surprise,
that the man, who had a wife and children on board, was attempting to
get away and save himself. The old gentleman calling him by his name,
said he was sorry to find him base enough to desert his family. He
seemed ashamed of what he had done, and returned over the taffrail. By
this time, the people of the boat begged the captain to come, as the
blows she received from below the ship's counter, were like to sink
her.
Captain Nicholls seeing the priest stretching his arms over the rails
in great emotion, and apparently under strong apprehensions of death,
asked him whether he was willing to take his chance in the boat. He
replied in the affirmative, if there was room; and on learning that
there was, he immediately went and gave the people his benediction;
and after saluting the old gentleman, tucked up his conical robes and
forsook the vessel. Captain Nicholls saluted him likewise, and several
others, and then left them praying for his safety.
When he entered the boat he bid the sailors cast her adrift; it was
very dark, and they had neither moon nor stars to direct them. "What a
terrible situation!" he exclaims, "we were twenty-seven in the
long-boat, and nine in the cutter, without victuals or drink."
Uncertain of their distance from the English coast, they agreed to
keep as close as possible to the ship.
It began to blow very fresh, with sleet and snow; the people were
fatigued to the uttermost, from working so long at the pumps, and
after sitting in the wet and cold, they began to wish that they had
staid in the ship and perished, as now they might die a lingering
death. Either alternative was awful. Destitute of provision, it was
most probable that one must be sacrificed by lot to keep the others
alive; and their dismal situation, in arousing the most horrible
anticipations, made them forbode the worst.
The boats now began to make water, yet the men refused to bail them,
they were in a state of such extreme weariness, and not having slept
for four nights, became regardless of their fate. Captain Nicholls,
nevertheless, prevailed on them to free the long-boat of water.
Having a brisk gale, they soon ran a long way from their unfortunate
ship, when to their great distress, it fell quite calm at ten in the
morning. This threw the people in despair, their courage began to
fail, and as they could not expect to live so long as to make the
land, death seemed again staring them in the face.
Some time after this unlucky party forsook the ship, four of the
French prisoners let a small jolly-boat, which was still remaining,
overboard, with two small paddles, and swam to her; and just as they
left the vessel, her decks blew up with a report like a gun. She sunk
in the ocean, and three hundred and sixty souls perished with her.
Captain Nicholls, at length observing the water colored, asked whether
they had any twine, on which one of them gave him a ball from his
pocket; they knocked the bolts off the knees of the long-boat,
wherewith to make a deep-sea lead, and sounding with it were rejoiced
to find only 45 fathom water. But the people complaining greatly of
hunger and thirst, Captain Nicholls said he was sorry to acquaint them
that he had nothing for them to eat or drink, yet encouraged them to
bear up with manly resolution, as by their soundings they were near
Scilly, and he doubted not, if it cleared, that they should see the
land.
The little Norse boy, who had always kept close by the captain, now
said that he had got some bread, and on taking it from the bosom of
his shirt, it proved to be like baker's dough; however, it was bread,
and very acceptable. The whole might amount to about four pounds; and
Captain Nicholls having put it into his hat, distributed it equally,
calling for those in the yawl to receive their share. But instead of
being a relief, it increased their troubles, for being wet and clammy,
it hung to the roof of their mouths, having nothing to wash it down.
Mr. Fox had some allspice also, which was of little service; having
been cut in pieces, the people forced it down their throats, which
created some saliva, and by that means it was swallowed.
About noon, a light air sprung up at south-west. Each boat had a
foremast, foresail and oars; but owing to the boats having been foul
of the main-mast, all the oars were washed away except two from each.
Captain Nicholls was told, in answer to his inquiries concerning a
noise among the crew, that two seamen were disputing about a couple of
blankets, which one of them had brought from the ship. These blankets
he ordered to be thrown overboard, rather than they should be
suffered to breed any quarrel, as in their unhappy condition it was no
time to have disputes. But on reflection having desired that they
should be brought to him, he thought of converting them to use, by
forming each into a main-sail. Therefore, one oar was erected for a
main-mast, and the other broke to the breadth of the blankets for a
yard. The people in the cutter observing what was done in the
long-boat, converted a hammock which they had on board into a
main-sail.
At four in the afternoon it cleared up, when the adventurers descried
a brig about two miles distant, to which Captain Nicholls ordered the
cutter to give chase, as it being lighter than the long-boat, would
sooner get up, and let her know their distress. But the brig, seeing
the boats after their course, directly stood from them, owing, as
Captain Nicholls supposed, to their odd appearance. For war then
prevailing, they were probably taken for the French lugsail-boats,
that used to frequent the lands off Scilly. The cutter, however,
gained fast on the brig, when, having got about half way, a very thick
fog came on, and neither the brig nor the cutter were again seen from
the long-boat.
Night fell, and the weather still continuing very foggy, the people,
almost dead for want of sleep, reposed themselves, sitting half way in
water, it being impossible for so many to find seats. Their captain,
anxious for their lives and his own, strove to keep his eyes open,
though it was the fifth night that he had taken no rest. About eleven
o'clock, when every one was asleep but the helmsman and himself, he
thought that he saw land. Yet he was determined not to call out land
until he should be sure that it was so. He squeezed his eyelids
together to let the water run out of his eyes, as he found them very
dim.
Again he thought he saw land very plain, and was convinced that he
could not be deceived. By this time the man at the helm had dropped
asleep, and he took the tiller himself.--Some space longer elapsed
before he would disturb any body, but at last he awoke Captain Moore,
telling him he thought he saw land. Captain Moore only answered that
they should never see land again. Captain Nicholls then awoke Mr. Fox,
who had obtained a sound sleep, and seemed quite refreshed. He
immediately cried out that they were near land and close in with the
breakers. Lucky it was that he had been awakened, otherwise, Captain
Nicholls, from being absolutely unacquainted with them, was satisfied
that all on board would have perished.
At the word land every one awoke, and, with some difficulty, the boat
cleared the rocks. At first the precise part of the English coast
could not be ascertained, but, as it cleared more and more every
moment, Captain Nicholls, on looking under the lee-leech of the
blanket main-sail, discerned St. Michael's Mount in Mount's Bay. The
boat would not fetch the land near Penzance, and, as she had no oars,
it was determined to avoid steering round the Lizard and so for
Falmouth, but to run her boldly on shore, whatever place she might
chance to make. It was a fine night, and, after getting round the
point, the people found the water very smooth; keeping the boat close
to the wind, they made between Penzance and the point.
Their joy at finding themselves in so favorable a situation, is not to
be conceived; it gave them new life and strength.--Those who were
forward, exclaimed that there were two rocks ahead, Captain Nicholls
hastened before, and his sight having come well to him, he carried the
boat between them without touching ground, and in a little time ran
her ashore on a sandy beach.
The seamen leapt into the water, and carried the priest and the
captain ashore. The former, kneeling down, made a short prayer, and
then coming to embrace Captain Nicholls, called him his preserver, and
said that he had rescued him from death.
Leaving the boat as she lay, all made the best of their way to the
town of Penzance. But some of the people, with sleeping wet, were so
much benumbed, that they could scarce get along; and captain Nicholls
himself declares, that, from the time of the ship's springing a leak,
until that hour, he had had no sleep, and very little sustenance.
However, having fallen in with a run of fresh water on the road to
Penzance, all were revived by drinking heartily of it.
The party, reaching the town about three in the morning, made up to a
tavern where they saw a light, and, as it had been a market day, the
mistress of the house was still up.--When Captain Nicholls entered by
the door, which was not locked, she was undressing, with her back to a
fire, the light he had seen, and being greatly alarmed, screamed,
"Murder! thieves!"
The appearance of twenty-seven people at such an unseasonable hour,
was certainly enough to create apprehension, especially from the
condition which they were in. But the captain endeavoring to pacify
her, requested she would call her husband or servants, as they were
shipwrecked men, and give them some refreshment. The landlord soon
came, and, having provided provisions, the people got into as many
beds as were there, while the rest of them slept on the floor by the
side of the fire.
Next morning the captain, accompanied by the priest, went to the Mayor
of the town to make a protest before a notary, and to see if he could
get credit, as both he and the people were in want of every necessary,
and it was many miles to London. The Mayor received him kindly, but
told him that he was no merchant, and that he never supplied people in
the condition that he was in, with money, but if he pleased, he would
send a servant with him to Mr. Charles Langford, a merchant who
generally supplied the masters of vessels in distress with
necessaries. Mr. Langford received Captain Nicholls politely, but, in
answer to his request for credit, said, that he had made a resolution
not to supply with credit any man to whom he was an entire stranger,
as he had been deceived by one very lately; and, though his might have
been a large ship, to judge by the boat which was come on shore, he,
the captain, might not be concerned in her, and, as he should want a
great deal of money, he should beg to be excused.--Captain Nicholls
answered, that he was partly owner of the ship, and Mr. Langford might
be certain that his bills were duly honored. However, he said he could
not do it.
Captain Nicholls, grievously disappointed, returned to the inn, where
several tradesmen had arrived to furnish the people with clothes and
other necessaries. He told the latter he could get no credit, but that
they must travel on as far as Exeter, where he was sure of obtaining
relief, which was very unwelcome news, as most of the people wanted
shoes. The captain next requested the landlord of the inn to get them
some breakfast, but he desired to be excused, and wished to know if
the captain could get no credit, how he was to be paid. Captain
Nicholls was quite at a loss how to act; being denied both credit and
victuals, he thought that he would pawn or sell his ring, watch,
buckles and buttons. Accordingly, returning to Mr. Langford, he begged
he would give him what he thought proper for these things. He took the
ring from his finger, the watch from his pocket, and, with tears in
his eyes was going to take the buckles from his shoes, when Mr.
Langford prevented him, saying he should have credit for as much as he
pleased, for he believed him to be an honest man, and saw that his
people's distress touched him more, if possible, than his own
misfortunes. He then gave what money the captain required.
During these transactions, the second mate and the eight men belonging
to the cutter arrived. They said it was so very thick they could not
come up with the brig which they were in pursuit of, and that, seeing
the Lands-End when it cleared, they got ashore. As nobody would buy
the cutter, they had left her, and had inquired the way to Penzance,
where, being in great distress, they rejoiced to meet their comrades.