DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0411
SHIPWRECK OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.
373
more particularly conspicuous in the most desperate situa-
tions.”
On the 17th November, 1780, says Mr. Plenties, I em-
barked on board the St. Lawrence brigantine, then lying in
the basin of Quebec, and bound to New York, being'
charged with dispatches from General Haldimand, comman-
der-in-chief in that province, to Sir Henry Clinton. The
same day we weighed anchor, and dropped down to Pa-
trick’s Hole in the island of Orleans, in company with a
schooner bound to the same port, on board of which was
Ensign Drummond of the 44th regiment, with duplicates of
General Haldimand’s dispatches. In this place we were de-
tained six days by a contrary wind.
On the 24fh we got under way, and proceeded down the
river St. Lawrence as far as the Brandy Pots, about forty-
leagues from Quebec. At this place the wind veered about
to the north-east, which obliged us again to anchor. The
weather was intensely cold, and the vessel being leaky made
so much water as to render it necessary to keep one pump
continually going. A change of wind soon after enabled us
to proceed on our voyage, and to make the island of Anti-
costi at the mouth of the river St. Lawrence; when the wind
coming round again to the eastward we were obliged to beat
off and on between this island and Cape Roziere for four
days; our vessel at the same time increasing her leaks so,
that we were under the necessity of keeping both pumps
constantly at work. Being now in a higher latitude, the
severity of the cold had increased in proportion, and the ice
began to form so fast about the ship as to alarm us exceed-
ingly, lest we should be entirely surrounded by it. To the
task of cutting and breaking it away, with that of keeping
the pumps at work, the crew were scarcely equal, only nine-
teen persons being on board, of whom six were passengers,
and the remainder very indifferent seamen. As for the mas-
373
more particularly conspicuous in the most desperate situa-
tions.”
On the 17th November, 1780, says Mr. Plenties, I em-
barked on board the St. Lawrence brigantine, then lying in
the basin of Quebec, and bound to New York, being'
charged with dispatches from General Haldimand, comman-
der-in-chief in that province, to Sir Henry Clinton. The
same day we weighed anchor, and dropped down to Pa-
trick’s Hole in the island of Orleans, in company with a
schooner bound to the same port, on board of which was
Ensign Drummond of the 44th regiment, with duplicates of
General Haldimand’s dispatches. In this place we were de-
tained six days by a contrary wind.
On the 24fh we got under way, and proceeded down the
river St. Lawrence as far as the Brandy Pots, about forty-
leagues from Quebec. At this place the wind veered about
to the north-east, which obliged us again to anchor. The
weather was intensely cold, and the vessel being leaky made
so much water as to render it necessary to keep one pump
continually going. A change of wind soon after enabled us
to proceed on our voyage, and to make the island of Anti-
costi at the mouth of the river St. Lawrence; when the wind
coming round again to the eastward we were obliged to beat
off and on between this island and Cape Roziere for four
days; our vessel at the same time increasing her leaks so,
that we were under the necessity of keeping both pumps
constantly at work. Being now in a higher latitude, the
severity of the cold had increased in proportion, and the ice
began to form so fast about the ship as to alarm us exceed-
ingly, lest we should be entirely surrounded by it. To the
task of cutting and breaking it away, with that of keeping
the pumps at work, the crew were scarcely equal, only nine-
teen persons being on board, of whom six were passengers,
and the remainder very indifferent seamen. As for the mas-