DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0355
MATTHEW COX, ESQ. 317
the Isle of Ayche and Hispaniola, we saw a boat in chase
of us. We then stood for the offing, but found in an hour’s
run she came up with us fast. We perceived she had eight
hands in her; we then determined to stand towards her,
though we had no weapons but sticks and knives, but were
resolved to sell our lives dearly. We stood on, and they
did not alter their course till we were within musket shot;
they then put about, and stood in for the land, with their
oars, and all the sail they could make, to our great joy; we
then kept our course about five leagues from the shore, that
we might not be seen from thence, and in hopes of meeting
some vessel in the offing. We had a fine breeze till about
nine o’clock P. M. when it began to blow very hard, and our
compass, which was the land, we could no longer see. We
were now obliged to strike our mast, and drove at the mercy
of the waves, keeping our boat before the sea. About
twelve it rained very hard, and continued with the wind till
about six A. M. when the wind abated, and the weather
clearing up, we found ourselves about eight leagues to the
westward of Hispaniola, Cape Tiberoon bearing about
E. by N. We then stuck up a knife, the sheath of which
we steered by, as we do by the stars at night. We had very
little suu this day, and the waves running so very high, could
not keep our intended course. We this day arranged our
watch, two and two ; one steered, and the other kept con-
stantly bailing, the sea breaking over us; the other two were
obliged to lie at the bottom, instead of ballast. The doctor
desired us to tie our handkerchiefs round our bellies, to
keep what we had within us ; which answered the end, ex-
cept to himself, who was very laxative and very sick. At
sunset this day we could descry the cape bearing E. N- E.
the sea began to moderate, with a gentle breeze all night.
At daybreak on the 19th wre lost sight of land: we had
at this time only about half of our bread left, but on
examining our water, found to our great grief that it was
above half lost by the rolling of the boat, and the leaking of
the cask. The weather continuing fine, we judged that by
the Isle of Ayche and Hispaniola, we saw a boat in chase
of us. We then stood for the offing, but found in an hour’s
run she came up with us fast. We perceived she had eight
hands in her; we then determined to stand towards her,
though we had no weapons but sticks and knives, but were
resolved to sell our lives dearly. We stood on, and they
did not alter their course till we were within musket shot;
they then put about, and stood in for the land, with their
oars, and all the sail they could make, to our great joy; we
then kept our course about five leagues from the shore, that
we might not be seen from thence, and in hopes of meeting
some vessel in the offing. We had a fine breeze till about
nine o’clock P. M. when it began to blow very hard, and our
compass, which was the land, we could no longer see. We
were now obliged to strike our mast, and drove at the mercy
of the waves, keeping our boat before the sea. About
twelve it rained very hard, and continued with the wind till
about six A. M. when the wind abated, and the weather
clearing up, we found ourselves about eight leagues to the
westward of Hispaniola, Cape Tiberoon bearing about
E. by N. We then stuck up a knife, the sheath of which
we steered by, as we do by the stars at night. We had very
little suu this day, and the waves running so very high, could
not keep our intended course. We this day arranged our
watch, two and two ; one steered, and the other kept con-
stantly bailing, the sea breaking over us; the other two were
obliged to lie at the bottom, instead of ballast. The doctor
desired us to tie our handkerchiefs round our bellies, to
keep what we had within us ; which answered the end, ex-
cept to himself, who was very laxative and very sick. At
sunset this day we could descry the cape bearing E. N- E.
the sea began to moderate, with a gentle breeze all night.
At daybreak on the 19th wre lost sight of land: we had
at this time only about half of our bread left, but on
examining our water, found to our great grief that it was
above half lost by the rolling of the boat, and the leaking of
the cask. The weather continuing fine, we judged that by