DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0412
374 kirby’s wonderful museum.
ter, instead of attending to his duty, he remained continu-
ally in a state of intoxication in his cabin.
On the 29th the wind came round to the north-west, and
we proceeded down the Gulf of St. Lawrence with two feet
water in the ship’s hold. The wind kept gradually increas-
ing till 1st December, when it blew a perfect gale from the
north-west quarter; and the ship’s crew being now almost
overcome with cold and fatigue, seeing no prospect of gain-
ing upon the leak, the water having already increased to four
feet in the hold, nor a possibility of making any port, came
to the resolution of working no longer at the pumps. How-
ever, by the forte of persuasion and promises, together
with the timely distribution of a pint of wine per man, which
I had fortunately brought on board, they were diverted from
this desperate resolution, observing, however, that whether
the vessel tilled or not was a matter of no consequence.
The delay thus occasioned had increased the depth of water
another foot; but the men being encouraged by the wine,
which was served to them every half hour, succeeded so far
as to reduce the water 111 the space of two hours to less
than three feet. The captain still remained in his cabin.
During the 2d and 3d of December the gale seemed to
increase, and the ice formed so thick on the ship’s sides as
very much to impede her way through the water, the leak
continuing to gain ground. The schooner that was in com-
pany was in as leaky a condition as our own vessel, having
struck upon some rocks at the island of Coudres. A heavy
snow now beginning to fall it was with the utmost difficulty
we could get sight of each other, and in order not to part
company fired a gun every half hour. The schooner at
length made no answer to our guns, whence we concluded
she had foundered, nor were we wrong in our supposition,.
There were sixteen persons on board, every one of whom
perished.
ter, instead of attending to his duty, he remained continu-
ally in a state of intoxication in his cabin.
On the 29th the wind came round to the north-west, and
we proceeded down the Gulf of St. Lawrence with two feet
water in the ship’s hold. The wind kept gradually increas-
ing till 1st December, when it blew a perfect gale from the
north-west quarter; and the ship’s crew being now almost
overcome with cold and fatigue, seeing no prospect of gain-
ing upon the leak, the water having already increased to four
feet in the hold, nor a possibility of making any port, came
to the resolution of working no longer at the pumps. How-
ever, by the forte of persuasion and promises, together
with the timely distribution of a pint of wine per man, which
I had fortunately brought on board, they were diverted from
this desperate resolution, observing, however, that whether
the vessel tilled or not was a matter of no consequence.
The delay thus occasioned had increased the depth of water
another foot; but the men being encouraged by the wine,
which was served to them every half hour, succeeded so far
as to reduce the water 111 the space of two hours to less
than three feet. The captain still remained in his cabin.
During the 2d and 3d of December the gale seemed to
increase, and the ice formed so thick on the ship’s sides as
very much to impede her way through the water, the leak
continuing to gain ground. The schooner that was in com-
pany was in as leaky a condition as our own vessel, having
struck upon some rocks at the island of Coudres. A heavy
snow now beginning to fall it was with the utmost difficulty
we could get sight of each other, and in order not to part
company fired a gun every half hour. The schooner at
length made no answer to our guns, whence we concluded
she had foundered, nor were we wrong in our supposition,.
There were sixteen persons on board, every one of whom
perished.