THE Doddington, Captain Samson, failed from the Downs on the 23d of April, 1755, in company with the Pelham, the Houghton, the Streatham, and the Edgecourt, all in the service of the East-India Company, and in about seven days got clear of the Channel; during this time Captain Samson perceived that his ship sailed faster than any of the others, and he was unwilling to lose the ad­vantage of this superiority by keeping them company: He therefore stood on alone, and, having very soon lost sight of them, he made Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verd islands, lat. 16 north, on the 20th of May; and on the 21st he got into Porto Pilor Bay. It now appeared either that he had been mistaken in supposing his ship to outsail the rest of the fleet, or that he had lost time by the course he steered, for he found the Pelham and the Streatham had reached the Bay two hours before him. The Houghton arrived soon afterwards, but the Edgecourt did not come in t [...] [...]e 26th.

On the 27th of May, the Doddington, Pelham, Streatham, and Houghton, having taken in their water, proceeded on the voyage together, leaving the Edgecourt in the road; they continued in com­pany steering S. by E. [...] E. till the 28th, when Capt. Samson, thinking the course too far easterly, ordered the Doddington to be kept south, which again sepa­rated her from the rest of the fleet; and, after a fine voyage of seven weeks, she made the land of the Cape of Good Hope. Having just doubled the Cape, a [Page 4] new departure was taken from de Agulhas on the 8th of July; and the vessel having steered eastward about 24 hours, between the latitude of 35 deg. 30 min. and 36 deg. the Captain ordered her to be kept E. N. E.

In this course she continued till about a quarter before one in the morning of Thursday, July 17, when she struck: The Officer from whose journal this account is taken, was then asleep in his cabbin; but, being suddenly awaked by the shock, started up in the utmost consternation, and made all the haste he could to get upon the deck; here all the terrors of his situation rushed upon him at once; he saw the men dashed to and fro by the violence of the sea that rolled over them, and the ship breaking to pieces at every stroke of the surge; he crawled over, with great difficulty, to the larboard side of the quarter-deck, which lay the highest out of water, and there he found the Captain, who said very little more than they must all perish; in a few minutes a sea parted them, and he saw him no more. He made a shift to get back to the quarter-deck, but he was very much bruised, and the small bone of his left arm was broken; all the rest of the ship was under water, and shattered to pieces. In this dreadful situation, expecting every moment to be swallowed up, he heard somebody [...] out Land! Upon this he looked eagerly about him, but though he saw something which he supposed was taken for land, he believed it to be only the rage of the sea on the other side of the breakers; at the same moment the sea broke over him with great violence, and not only forced him from his hold, but stunned him by a violent blow upon his eye; though from this time he lay insensible until after day-light, yet he continued upon the wreck, and when he recovered, he found himself made fast to a plank by a nail that had been forced into his shoulder; besides the [...] that [Page 5] he felt from his wounds and bruises, he was now so benumbed with cold, that he could scarce move either hand or foot; he called out as loud as he could, and was heard by the people on the rocks; but they could give him no assistance, so that it was a considerable time before he could disengage himself and crawl on shore.

This shore was a barren uninhabited rock, in the lat. of 33 deg. 44 min. south, and distant about 250 leagues east of the Cape of Good Hope. Here were now met Mr. Evan Jones, chief Mate; Mr. John Collet 2d, Mr. William Webb 3d, and Mr. S. Powel 5th Mate; Richard Topping, carpenter; Neal Both­well and Nathaniel Chisholm, Quarter-masters; Daniel Ladova, the Captain's steward; Henry Sharp, the Surgeon's servant; Thomas Arnold, a Black, and John Mackdowal, servants to the Captain. Robert Beaseley, John King, Gilbert Chain, Terence Mole, Jonas Rosenbury, John Glass. — Taylor, and Henderick Scantz, seamen; John Yets, Mid­shipman, and John Lister, Ralph Smith, and Edward Dysoy, matrosses. These persons, being 23 in num­ber, were all that remained of 270 souls that were on board when the ship struck.

Their first care was to search among the things which had been thrown upon the rocks from the ship, for something to cover them, in which they succeeded beyond their hopes. The next thing they felt the want of was fire, and this was not so easily supplied; some of them attempted to kindle two pieces of wood, by rubbing them together, but without success; others went peeping about among the rocks to pick up some­thing that might serve for a flint and steel; after long search they found a box that contained two gun flints and a broken file; this was a joyful acquisition, but still they had nothing that would kindle from a spark, and, till something like tinder could be procured, the [Page 6] flint and steel were useless; a farther search was there­fore undertaken with inexpressible solicitude and anxiety; a cask of gunpowder was at last discovered, but to their great disappointment it proved to be wet; however, upon a near examination, a small quantity was found at the bottom of the cask, which had suf­fered no damage; some of this they bruised on a linen rag, which served them very well for tinder, and a fire was soon made; the bruised and wounded gathered about it, and the rest went in search of other necessaries, without which the rock could afford them but a short respite from destruction. In the afternoon a box of wax candles and a case of brandy were brought in; both were extremely welcome, especially the brandy, of which every one thought it adviseable to take a dram; soon after some others of the party returned with an account that they had discovered a cask almost full of fresh water, which was yet of more consequence than the brandy; and Mr. Jones brought in some pieces of salt pork, and soon after some others arrived, driving before them seven hogs, which had come on shore alive; some casks of beer, water, and flour, were also seen at a distance, but it was not then possible to get them over the rocks; the approach of night made it necessary to provide some shelter; all hands therefore were employed to make a tent of some canvas that had been thrown on shore, which was at last effected, though it was so small for want of more sail-cloth, that it would not hold them all. The island was much frequented by a kind of water-fowl, something larger than a duck, called a gannet; and the highest part of it was covered with their dung; upon this part they were obliged to build their tent, for fear of being overflowed; and they placed those who could not walk, under the tent, and kindled a fire near them; but, as they had passed the day without food, [Page 7] they passed the night without rest; for, besides that they were sunk a foot in the fowl's dung, the night was so tempestuous that the wind blew away their fire, and, before it could be scraped together again, the rain put it out.

In the morning, which was Friday, July the 18th, those that were able went again about the rock, to see what could be saved from the wreck; but, to their great mortification, they found all the casks which they had seen the night before, except one of beer, and one of flour, staved to pieces against the rocks; soon after these were secured, the tide flowed up, and put a stop to the work of that day. The company therefore was called together to eat their first meal, and some rashers of pork were broiled upon the coals for dinner.

The sitting down thus desolate and forlorn to a re­past, which they used to share in the convivial cheer­fulness, which naturally arose from the consciousness of present plenty, and the hope of future, struck them with such a sense of their condition, that they burst into passionate lamentations, wringing their hands, and looking round them with all the wildness of de­spair; in such tumult of mind, our thoughts hurry from one object to another, to fix, if possible, upon something that may afford comfort; and one of the company recollecting, that, as the carpenter was among them, they might build a sloop, if they could procure materials and tools, mentioned this as a sub­ject of hope to the rest; every man's attention was immediately turned upon the carpenter, who declared that he had no doubt but he should be able to build a sloop that would carry them all to some port with safety, if tools and materials could be found; at that time indeed, they had no rational prospect of pro­curing either, any more than of being able to victual [Page 8] a sloop, if they had one ready built; yet they had no sooner placed their deliverance one remove beyond total impossibility, than they seemed to think it neither improbable nor difficult; they began to eat without farther repining, and from that moment the boat en­grossed their whole conversation, and they not only debated upon the size and manner of rigging her, but to what port they should steer her, whether the Cape or Degagoa.

As soon as they had finished their repast, some went in search of tools, and others to mend the tent; no tools however were found that day.

Saturday, July 19. They secured four butts of water, one cask of flour, one hogshead of brandy, and one of their little boats, which had been thrown up by the tide, in a shattered condition; but they found no tools, except a scraper.

Sunday, July 20. They had the good fortune to find a hamper, in which there were files, sail-needles, gimblets, and an azimuth compass card. They also found two quadrants, a carpenter's adze, a chissel, and three sword-blades, and a chest of treasure. This search was made very early in the morning, as there had been a prodigious surf rolling in all the day be­fore, by which it was reasonable to suppose some­thing would be thrown up. At ten o'clock they all assembled to prayers, and did not go out again til [...] after dinner, when they found most of the packets o [...] letters belonging to the King and the Company [...] these they carefully dried and laid by.

The same day, as they were searching a beach, they found the body of a Gentle woman, which they knew to be that of Mrs. Collet, the wife of their second Mate, who was then at a little distance from the spot The mutual affection of this couple was remarkabl [...] tender, and Mr. Jones, the first Mate, [...] [...]el [Page 9] stepped aside to Mr. Collet, and sound means to take him to the other side of the rock, while the other two Mates, the carpenter, and some others, dug a grave in the bird's dung, in which they deposited the body, reading over it the burial service, from a French prayer book, which had driven ashore with her from the wreck. Having thus paid the debt of humanity to the dead, and concealed from Mr. Collet a sight which would most sensibly, if not fatally, have affected him, they found means, after some days, to diclose to him by degrees what they had done, and to give him the wedding-ring, which they had taken from her finger. He received it with great emotion, and after­wards spent many days in raising a monument over the grave, by piling up the squarest stones he could find, on the top of which he fixed an elm plank, and inscribed it with her name, her age, the time of her death, and some account of the fatal accident by which it was occasioned.

On Monday, July 21. They secured some more water and pork, and sound some timber plank, cor­dage, and canvas. These they secured with great joy for the boat, though as yet they were in want of many implements, without which it was impossible for the carpenter to work. He had just finished a saw, but he had neither hammer nor nails. It hap­pened, however, that one of the seamen, Hendrick Scantz, a Swede, having picked up an old pair of bellows, brought them to his companions, and told them, that he had been by profession a smith, and that with these bellows and a forge, which he hoped they would be able, by his directing, to build, he could furnish the carpenter with all the tools he would want, nails included, as plenty of iron might be ob­ [...] by burning the timber which [...] come on [...] from the wreck. This account was received [Page 10] with a transport of joy; the smith immediately ap­plied himself to mend the bellows, and the three fol­lowing days were spent in building a tent and a forge, in bringing together the timber and plank for the car­penter's use, who was also busy in getting ready the few tools he had, that he might begin the boat as soon as possible.

Thursday, July 24. The carpenter, assisted by Chisholm, the Quarter-master, began to work upon the keel of the boat, which they had determined should be a sloop, 30 feet long and 12 wide. This day also the smith finished his sorge, and laid in a quantity of fi [...] for fewel. From this time, the car­penter and smith continued to work with indefatigable diligence, except when they were prevented by the weather; the smith, having fortunately found the [...]ing and nut of a bower anchor, which served him for an [...] supplied chistels, axes, hammers, and nails, as they wanted; and the carpenter used them with great dexterity and dispatch till the 31st, when he fell sick.

As the lives of the whole company depended upon the carpenter, they watched his recovery with the utmost impatience and anxity; and, to their unspeak­able joy, he was so far recovered on the 2d of August, as to return to his work.

In the mean time, the stores which they had saved from the wreck were so near exhausted, that they came to an allowance of two ounces of bread a man per day, and had no salt pork, except what they were determined to keep to victual their boat; water also fell short. In this distress they had recourse to several expedients: They dug a well, in hopes to find a [...]ring, but were disappointed; they attempted to kn [...]k [...] some of the ganne [...] that settled on the top of the [...] and in this they had some success; but they [...] [Page 11] flesh very rank, of a fishy taste, and as black as a shoe. They also made a raft or float, called a cata­maran, on which they proposed to go out a fishing, with such hooks and lines as had come ash [...]. They killed also some seals, but all those who eat of them were sick.

When they were driven to great distress, they killed a hog; but they had generally success in fishing on a float, and they sometimes sent out two at a time. It happened, however, that Mr. Collet, the second Mate, and Mr. Yets, the Midshipman, were very near being driven out to sea on one of these floats, where they would inevitably have perished. — On the 20th of August they had fishing all the afternoon, till about four o'clock, when they weighed, and en­deavoured to come in again; but, the wind suddenly freshening up to the westward, they found that in­stead of gaining a head, they drove out very fast. The people on shore perceived their distress, but knew not how to assist them; at last, however, they sent out another float, with killies and ropes, which they hoped would enable them to ride, till the wind be­came more moderate; [...]t the surf was so great, th [...] it overset her three times, and the men were obliged to swim back. In the mean time, they saw their friends still driving out to sea at a great [...]a [...]e, and were just giving them up to inevitable destruction, when the carpenter sent them word, that he would make a little boat so tight, that she should not take in water faster than one man could lave it out. This gave them fresh hope, and every one was ready to venture out for the deliverance of their friends. The carpenter dispatched the boat in about a quarter of an hour, and she soon overtook the float, and took Collet and Yets on board. They soon sound, however, that the water gained very fast upon them, notwith­standing [Page 12] their utmost off to; and, when she came in, she was so full of water, that in a few minutes she must have sunk.

As they were now afraid of venturing any more on the rast, the carpenter went again to work on the little boat, and put her into complete repair. Their su [...]cess in fishing was very uncertain; sometimes they took great quantities, and sometimes they took none. Nor were the supplies they obtained on shore less pre­carious; the gannets would sometimes settle in amaz­ing numbers, like a cloud; and sometimes they would totally disappear for several days together. This made them very desirous of finding some way to preserve the food they caught from putrifaction, that they might lay by the surplus of a fortunate day, to serve them, when neither gannets nor fish were to be caught. They made several atempts to cure both their fish and their fowl by smoaking it, but without success. They then attempted to make salt, but this had like to have been fatal to them all. The smith had mended a copper vessel for the experiment; and they imme­diately began to work, without knowing that their process in salt-making would dissolve the surface of the copper into verdigrease, and that this solution or rust of copper was poison. Salt, however, was pro­duced; but the quality that made it poisonous hap­pened to abound in such a degree, as to make it in­tolerably offensive to the taste: It was therefore thrown away; but those who had ventured to palate it were seized with violent cholics, cold sweats, and [...]chings, which sufficiently convinced them of the [...] had escaped.

Wednesday, Sept. 3. They had now been in­habitants of this desolate rock ever since the 1 [...]th of July, near seven weeks; and during this time [...] often seen a great smoke on the main lane [...] [Page 13] made them very desirous to send the boat, to try what assistance might be obtained from thence. On this day, therefore, Bothwell, Rosenbury, and Taylor, set out on [...]e discovery, and at night the people on shore made [...]arge fire on the highest part of the rock, as a signal to them.

While they were waiting the return of the boat, they were all thrown into the utmost consternation by an accident which happened to the carpenter, who unfortunately cut his leg with an adze, in such a manner, that he was in great danger of bleeding to death, they having no surgeon among them, nor any thing proper to apply to the wound. At length, how­ever, though with much difficulty, the blood was staunched, and the wound healed without any bad symptom supervening.

Saturday, Sept. 6. The weather having been fair for forty-eight hours, they impatiently expected the return of the boat. At noon they became very uneasy at having seen nothing of her; but, just as they were sitting down to dinner, they were agreeably surprised by two of their people, who came running over the rocks, crying out, the boat! the boat! They all started up, overjoyed at the sound, and run to f [...] her come in, with great hopes that she had succeeded; but they soon distinguished, that she was rowed only by one man, who plied both [...]ars: They concluded, threfore, that the other two were lost or detained, but presently they saw another get up from the bottom of the boat, where it was supposed he had laid down for a short refreshment, and then the boat came forward somewhat faster, though still at a slow rate. The dinner was now intirely forgot and after they had waited an hour on the beach with the utmost im­ [...] she came in. The two men were Rosen­bu [...] [...] Taylor, who, the moment they step [...] on [Page 14] shore, threw themselves on their knees, and, in a short, but earnest ejaculation, returned thanks to God for having once more set them safe upon this place which, barren and desolate as it was, they now considered as an asylum from a situation of [...]uch greate distress. Having exerted their utmost effort to bring the boat in, their strength forsook them at once, an [...] they were not able to rise from the ground withou [...] assistance.

As soon as they were got over to the tent, by th [...] assistance of the rest, every body was busy to procur [...] them some refreshment, for they found that the boa [...] was quite empty, both of provisions and water. The [...] dressed them some fish, with as much haste as the [...] could, and, perceiving that they were quite exhausted with watching and labour, they left them when they had eaten their meal, without asking any questions and they immediately fell asleep. The behaviour o [...] these honest sailors to their mess-mates was an uncommon instance of hearty kindness, and generou [...] self-denial; the impatience of their curiosity mu [...] have been both increased and justified, in proportio [...] as they were interested in the account that was to gratify it; yet even this curiosity, in which life itsel [...] was concerned, they had the kindness and the fortitude to repress, rather than delay the refreshment o [...] others for its gratification.

The account which was given by the two adventurers when they awoke, was to this effect;

About three o'clock on the day they set out, the [...] got round a point, about six leagues east of the rock ^* as they approached, it had the appearance of doubl [...] [Page 15] point, which encouraged them to hope, that between the two points they should find a harbour; but in this hope they were disappointed, for they found a large surf all alo [...] the coast. However, about five of the clock, hav [...] [...]een only one of the natives, they ven­tured to pull [...] the shore; but, the moment they got into the surf the boat overset. By this accident poor Bothwell was drowned, and the other two, who reached the shore in an exhausted and feeble condi­tion, were left destitute of every kind of provision, except a small keg of brandy. As soon as they had a little recovered their strength, they crawled along the shore to seek for the boat, having [...] other hope of shelter from the wild beasts, which might be ex­pected to come abroad in the night. After some search they found her, but they were too weak to get her up, and, darkness coming on, they were obliged to lie down upon the sand, w [...]h no other covering than the branches of a tree; and [...] this condition they passed the night. As soon as the morning dawned, they went again to look for the boat, which the surf had driven from where they left her. As they walked along the coast they saw a man, and advanced to­wards him; upon which he run away into the woods that lay near the beach, and were very thick. They went on, and soon after discovered the body of their companion Bothwell, which had been dragged up the sand a considerable distance from the water, and torn [...]o pieces by some wild beast. This terrified them exceedingly, and having found the boat, the dread of passing another night on shore determined them im­mediately to return. They were however, prevented in the attempt by a fresh gale at west, and, before they [...] back, the boat overset with them a [...] and drove with them along the shore. [...] struggling and swimming they got once [Page 16] more safe on the land; but, as they had now been fasting ever since three o'clock the day before, they were fainting with hunger and fatigue. It happened however, that they met [...] a fruit tr [...] resembling an apple, which th [...] eagerly gathered [...]nd eat, with­out knowing either its name or its [...]ty. By good fortune, it did them no harm; and [...] somewhat refreshed by their atedeluvian repast, they made shift to haul the boat on shore, and, turning it upside down, they crept under it to sleep, being thus very well shel­tered from the sun, and secured against the wild beasts Those who know the irresistible power of sleep, afte [...] long watching and excessive labour, will not conclude [...] that their first slumber was short, because their situa­tion was incommodious or insecure; they waked, however, before the next morning, and, peeping un­der the edge of the boat, they could discern the fee of several creatures, which, by their claws, they sup­posed to be tygers, pass by them to and again. This was a sufficient motives to remain in their resting-place till the morning, when they looked out again, and saw the feet of a man. Upon this discovery they cam [...] from under the boat, to the great astonishment of the poor savage, and two other men and a boy; who were at some distance. When they had got all toge­ther, and were a little recovered from their surprise they made signs to the sailors to go away, which the endeavoured to do, though they were able to mo [...] but very slowly. Before they had gone far from the boat, a considerable number of the natives ran down upon them with their lances. It happened that Ro­senbury had picked up the mast of the bo [...]t, and pistol which had been washed on shor [...], as the [...]em along; being thus armed, when the [...] down upon him, and being besides us, [...] he imprudently turned about, [...] [Page 17] strength, advanced towards them in a threatening manner, supposin [...] that they would have been seized with a panic, and retreated into the woods. It hap­pened, however, that he was mistaken; for, instead of running away, they surrounded him, and began to whet their lances. Taylor thought it was now time to try what could be done by sup [...]cation; he there­fore threw himself on his knees, and in a piteous tone cried out for mercy; but Rosenbury took refuge in the water. The savages immediately came up to Taylor, and began to strip him: He suffered them quietly to take his shoes and his shirt, but when they attacked his trowsers he made some resistance, and by his gestures entreated they would not leave him quite naked. Upon which they thought fit to desist. They then made signs for Rosenbury to come to them, who was all this while swimming about in the sea; but he refused, and made signs that they would kill him. They then pointed to Taylor, intimating that they had not killed him: Upon this he came forward, and having first thrown them his pistol, and all his clothes but his shirt, he ventured to put himself into their hands. When he came up they offered him to violence, only held the boat's masts and the pistol to him, by way of deriding the folly of his attempt to fright them. They seemed to be very much pleased with the clothes, which they divided among them as far as they would go. They then began to rifle the boat, and having taken all the rope they could find and the hook by which the rudder hung to the stern-post, they began to knock the stern to pieces, for the iron which they saw was about it. Next to knocking the poor wretches on the head, this was the worst [...] they would do, and, rough as they were, they [...] at the injury that was offered to their [...] the savage to desist, with such [Page 18] agony of distress, that they suffered the boat to remain as they found it. Encouraged b [...] this appearance of placability and kindness, and urged by hunger, they asked by signs, for something to eat; this reque [...] was also granted, and having giving them some roots, they again made signs for them to depart; upon which they once more launched their boat, and got into it, but, the wind blowing strong from the west, they could not put off. The natives perceiving that they were willing to comply with their desires, but no [...] able, covered them with the boat to sleep under, and left them as they had found them. The next morning, the weather being fine, and the wind easterly, they launched the boat a third time, and returned back to the rock.

From this till Sunday the 29th of September, th [...] [...]alpente [...] and smith continued to work upon the boa [...] and the people were busy in getting in from time t [...] time what was thrown up from the wreck, particular [...] [...]ordage and canvas, to rig the boat; and some cast of fresh water, which they were very solicitous [...] [...] for seastores, as their escape in the boat scar [...] depended less upon fresh water than upon the fa [...] themselves. On this day, after they had been a prayers, a duty which was regularly and publickly performed every Sunday, the Officers discovered th [...] the chest of treasure had been broke open, and the greater part of it taken away and concealed. It may perhaps be thought strange, that people, whom danger had made religious, should at the same time be guilty of theft; but, upon this occasion, it should be remem­bered, that, as soon as a ship is lost, the [...] lose their pay, and the Captain his command; [...] and subordination that [...] is at an end; and whatever is cas [...] [...] wreck is, by the sailors, considered as [...] [Page 19] The men, therefore, who thought fit secretly to take what they deemed their share of this treasure, were not, in their own opinions, guilty of dishonesty, but intended only to secure what they feared the Of­ficers would monopolise, and by this means prevent disputes which, in their circumstances, might pro­duce fatal effects. The Officers, however, when they discovered what had been done, and found that no-body would own they knew any thing about it, proposed to write the form of an oath, and administer it separately to every individual, the Officers to take it first. But to this the majority immediately objected; for, though they might not suppose they had com­mitted a crime by taking the treasure, they knew it would [...] [...]ot only immortal, but impious, to swear they [...] taken it. As the minority were not in a condition to support their motion, the affair was suffered to rest, without farther inquiry or remon­strance.

On the 6th of October they sound a fowling-piece; this was a joyful acquisition, and, though the barrel was much bent, it was soon made serviceable by the carpenter, and used with great success in shooting the [...]irds, which before they had no way of taking, but by knocking them down with a stick.

On Friday October 11, they perceived the ganners, which had of late forsaken them, to hover again about the rock in great numbers, and were in hopes they would settle to lay their eggs, in which, to their great joy, they were not disappointed; for after this time they were constantly supplied with eggs in great plenty, till the beginning of January, when the season of laying was past.

O [...] Sunday October 20, Mr. Collet, Mr. Webb, and [...]rothers, ventured out once more on the float, [...] [...]ind springing up very fresh, the float broke [Page 20] loose, and drove with them to the other side of the rocks. The wind still rising, and the sea running very high, it was impossible for the boat to put out; they were therefore obliged to remain all night among the seals on the rocks, without any shelter or refresh­ment. But in this situation, however dreadful, they received great comfort from reflecting how much more dreadful it would have been, if, instead of being driven to the rocks, their float had been carried out to sea. It was noon the next day before the wind abated, and then the boat ventured off; but, as the waves still ran high, it could bring in no more than two at a time, leaving the float behind them. They had now some rainy weather, which proved very ac­ceptable, as they contrived to save some [...] [...]ater for sea stores; but they were still in [...] of bread, having lived many days on short a [...]ance. As a last resource they thought of building an [...]en, for they had some barrels of flour, though they had no bread: In this attemp [...] they succeeded beyond their expectations, and were able to convert their flour [...] tolerable biscuit.

This biscuit, however, was at length so near e [...] hausted, that they were obliged to live upon a few ounces a day, without brandy, of which only a small quantity remained, and this they preserved inviolable for the use of the carpenter. They were also so short of water, that of this they were allowed but half a pint a day.

In this condition, however, they happily, in a great degree, preserved their health and vigour, and on the 16th of February they launched their boat, and called her the Happy Deliverance. On the 17th they got their little pittance of stores on board and [...] the 18th they set sail from the rock, on which [...] lived just seven months, and to which, [...] they gave the name of Bird Island.

[Page 21]Wednesday, February 18, 1756. At one in the afternoon they weighed with a little breese westerly, and stood to the eastward, in order to make the river St. Lucia. For twenty-five days together they la­boured under a continual series of distress, such as having little or no provisions to eat; and met with strong currents, setting at the rate of a mile and an half per hour; so that, when they had a fair wind and pleasant breese, they could barely stem the cur­rent, which determined them to put back for the Cape. Accordingly, on Tuesday, March 2, they bore away to the westward, but, to their mortifica­tion, the next day the weather promised a very hard gale from the westward, and began to rise apace.

T [...], March 4. The wind and sea increasing, they [...] [...]oured to ly to, but shipped such heavy seas [...] they were obliged once more to bear away. Sometimes the squalls were so violent, that the sea appeared li [...] clifts over the stern. The gale con­tinued till about three o'clock on Friday morning. Nothing material happened afterwards, till Sunday March 7, when, falling calm, they anchored about three quarters of a mile off shore, and soon after per­ceived several of the natives coming down from the mountains, which encouraged them to try the land. Accordingly three men went on shore in the boat, one of which was Thomas Arnold, a black servant of the Captain's; carrying with them a string of am­ber beads. The Black had jumped overboard and swam to shore, and the natives, in number about forty, followed him. About a league farther they found a very convenient place to land, and sent three men in the boat to fetch Arnold off, which they soon did. They were very desirous of going a shore again, the natives having sent up into the country for sheep, [...], &c. And Thomas Arnold gave the fol­lowing [Page 22] account of their expedition, that when he first got on shore they seemed very shy of him; but he followed them, and, when he came to them, they all sat down, and desired him to sit down by them, which he did. Upon presenting the string of amber beads to the oldest man among them which seemed to be their chief, he received it very kindly; and, on making signs to them that be wanted to eat, they brought him Indian corn and fruit, and water in a calabash to drink. In the evening of the tenth several natives came down to the water-side hallooing to them, which made them endeavour to land, but found it impracticable. In the morning the natives repeated their signals, at the same time driving down great numbers of cattle, such a goats and bullocks; but still they could not find a place to land.

Thursday, March 11. The first and latter parts strong gales easterly, and a very large sea in the mor­ning. Four men went in the small boat to try the land, but could not, and so returned on board again without success.

Friday 12. Wind and weather as per day past. In the morning they tried to land again, but found no proper place, though they had no bread left, nor could they catch any fish; therefore were obliged to content themselves with about half an ounce of stinking rotten pork per man a day.

Saturday 13. In the morning two men went in the Boat to fish, but returned without success. After which men went in the boat; two of whom landed, and the other two returned with the boat.

Sunday 14. Two of the men, having had nothing to eat these two days, begged they might be put on shore▪ and live among the natives. Accordingly they were landed safe; but the wind being likely to shift to the westward, signals were repeated all night, by [Page 23] shewing lights, in hopes to bring them to the water­side, before the surf rose too high. However, they did not appear till six o'clock in the morning, when it was too late, there being a fresh gale of wind, and a large surf. The vessel therefore sailed along shore, in hopes to find a more favourable place, and at two leagues distance anchored in five fathom. Four men were sent in the boat, two to go to meet the four men that landed yesterday, and to found the river's mouth. In about three hours the two men returned with the other four, but were afraid to attempt to come off, there being too great a surf to launce the boat.

Monday 15. At day light weighed, and stood close to the shore; and seeing them still loth to venture, called to them, that, if they did not come off im­mediately, they must be obliged to leave them, being without provisions, or any likelihood of getting any there. This threatening had its desired effect, for two of them ventured off in the boat, though there was a large surf. When they come on board, they informed them that the natives received the men very civilly, and gave them beef and fish to eat, and milk to drink, and conducted them over the mountains, from where they landed, till they met our people. The wind being easterly, a fair wind into the river, they all agreed to wait till high water, and run the risque of the bar. At two in the afternoon they weighed, and made sail for the river, and got in very well, without shipping any water, and anchored in two and an half fathom water.

Their first care was to consult in what manner to trade with the natives for provisions and other neces­ [...] having never heard of any trading on that part [...] coast. We had however but few commodities [...] use, such as brass coat-buttons, small iron [Page 24] bolts, nails, and some copper hoops, made into brace­lets for their arms and legs, which the people in India wear, and call them bangles. These they took on shore, and shewing them to the natives; at the same time making signs for what they wanted in ex­change, by kneeling down and gnawing the grass, holding their hands up like horns, and making a noise like that of bullocks, sheep, &c. which they soon understood, and were very expeditious in driving down two small bullocks, which they purchased for about one pound of copper and three or four brass buttons, each bullock weighing about five or six hundred, very good meat. The savages seemed very well satisfied with their bargain, and promised to bring more bul­locks. They likewise brought milk in great quantites, which was purchased at a very cheap rate, giving only a brass button for about two or three gallons. Like­wise a small grain, like Guinea wheat, which they purchased at the same rate, and ground it between two stones, and baked it upon some embers for bread, hoping it would keep; but it grew mouldy in three days. They therefore used to boil it with their meat, and found it very good food. Here they staid about a fortnight, during which time they visited their towns about ten or twelve miles, where they lived in huts covered with rushes like a kind of thatch, and very neat within, and were extremely obliging. At these times they used to eat with the savages, who liked their way of dressing victuals, though they are parti­cularly fond of the entrails, such as the paunch and guts, which they mostly eat raw, only shaking out the excrement. In short they behaved very sociably, and were no ways shy of their women. Their chief exercise is hunting, and their only arms lance [...] [...] two short sticks with a knob at the end; after [...] their prey with the lance, they knock it [...] the stick.

[Page 25]They wear little or no clothing in the day-time, and in the night only a bullock's hide, which they dry thoroughly, and make them very supple. There chief ornaments are a piece of a bullock's tail, which [...]ngs dangling down from their rump to their heels, with a few small sea-shells tied to it; and likewise several small pieces of the skin tied round the knees, ancles, and arms. Their hair they plaister up with a great quantity of tallow or fat mixed with a kind of red earth, and likewise rub their bodies all over with grease. They are prodigious active and dexterous with their lances, which they will throw thirty or forty yards, and hit a small head of corn. Among these natives, who are entirely black, and all woolly-haired, they saw a youth, seemingly about twelve or fourteen years of age, quite white; and his features had the resem­blance of an European, having fine light hair, not in the least resembling that of the other natives.

Monday 29. Having, by the blessing of Providence, laid in a comfortable stock of provisions, at five in the morning they weighed, and soon got over the bar, And made sail for the river St. Lucia.

Nothing material happened till Tuesday April the 6th, when, after some difficulty, they got into a river, and moored in three fathom water.

Here they went on shore, and soon found the in­habitants to be quite another sort of people from the last; for, when they shewed them what they had to trade with, they signified that they wanted some small kind of grain. However, upon shewing them brass buttons, they imediately brought down some bul­locks, fowls, potatoes, pumkins, &c. The bullocks they could not agree about, the savages wanting brass [...]ings large enough to go round the collar. The fowls, pumkins, &c. they bought at a very cheap rate. Five or [...] grown fowls for a small piece of bunten, not [Page 26] worth above a groat in England. Here they staid three weeks, walking about the country, and seeing [...] towns and method of living. The savages seem­ing to have a great veneration for brass, they carried a brass handle of an old chest and shewed it them; for which they immediately offered two bullocks, which was readily agreed to; and they drove them down to our boat. These were a haughty proud peo­ple, and not so honest as the former, having detected their principal Governor, whom they paid for a lodg­ing in one of their huts for the night, in stealing some pieces of iron. They staid here two or three days in the country, in which time they never could get them to eat with them. They likewise differed greatly from the other people in their cookery, dressing all their victuals in a very cleanly manner, and are like­wise very cleanly in their bodies; the first thing they do in the morning is to wash themselves all over; then they go to some kind of devotion, which they never observed in the others. Neither have these any of the ornaments the others [...]se: They pride them­selves much in their hair, which they dress up very neatly; and are extremely shy in regard to their wo­men. Their arms are the same as the others, and also their diversions. They found a few men here who came from Delagoa, and had some ambergrease and elephant's teeth to dispose of; the latter in great plenty.

Sunday 18. A pleasant gale westerly, and fair weather: At seven in the morning being all on board, they weighed and made sail; about a quarter [...] high water, when they got almost to the ba [...], they very imprudently hawled the fails down, and let go the grapnail close to the brake of a sand, and [...] of them got the boat out and went on shore, s [...]ing that they would sooner take their chance of [...] [Page 27] among the natives, than be drowned in attempting to go over the bar; the rest were therefore either to venture over the bar or to go on shore, the vessel not being able to get back, the wind and the tide selling both out of the river, so that before half ebb she would beat to pieces. Therefore, in hopes to save them­selves and the boat, they weighed and got to the breakers; there they lay beating in a dismal condition, having no more than eight feet water, and the vessel drawing five. After half an hour the surface was smooth, and by the Almighty's providence they got safe out of the river St. Lucia. The poor creatures who had left the vessel, some with only a shirt and a pair of drawers, travelled along shore.

The vessel stood to the northward till Tuesday at four in the afternoon, when they anchored in Delagoa river in nine fathom, where they found the [...]ose gally snow, Capt. Chandler, trading for beef and teeth, of whom most of them begged a passage to Bombay. After staying about three weeks, a small country boat came up the river, which brought three of their people who left them at the river St. Lucia, and they in­formed them the other six were remaining on the other side of the bay of Delagoa, waiting the oppor­tunity of a boat to bring them over. This was thought to be the properest place to secure the trea­sure, packets, and other effects. In order to which, they enticed four or five of their men on shore, and secured two more on board the snow. This done, Mr. Jones went with Captain Chandler's pinnace manned and armed, and took all the money, plate, and packets he could f [...] [...]nd brought them on board the snow, in order to [...]er them on their arrival at Madrass. The people left in the sloop, being afraid of another unwelcome visit, took an opportunity of getting away in the night. May the 25th, the Rose [Page 28] gally weighed, in order to proceed to Madagascar, to complete the cargo, on the account of a difference between Capt. Chandler and the natives, who had first sold him upwards of a hundred head of cattle, and afterwards stole them all away again. The day they left the land they saw a sail, which [...]oved to be their sloop, which immediately bore down to the ship, and two of them came on board [...] snow, one of whom was the carpenter, who prevailed on Capt. Chandler to buy the sloop for 2500 r [...]es, which he gave his note for. At the same time they told the Captain they had taken in the other six men who were left behind at the river St. Lucia, three of whom were now dead, and two more very ill; and these, in two or three days after died likewise of the fatigue of travelling over land. In about twenty-two days [...] the island of Madagascar, and anchored at Moro [...]via, June the 14th; and on the 16th arrived the [...] the Carnarvon, Norton Hutchinson, com­mander, from Europe for China.

And, as their packets and treasure were directed for Madrass, they took a passage in the Ca [...]arvon, and, leaving Morondavia, July 1st, by God's great providence arrived at Madrass August 1st, where they delive [...]d the packets, treasure, and other private effects.