156 CAPTAIN ZACHARY G. LAMSON 



our stern, had torn off, our cabin was open 

 to the sea, but a foot or two clear. Finally 

 our captain ordered our long boat out. We 

 had thrown overboard everything from the 

 deck we could conveniently in getting the 

 boat clear. Our chief mate, the only man 

 who kept his presence of mind, observed 

 ft> the captain, " Sir, are you going to leave 

 the vessel?" The answer was, "Yes." I 

 was ordered below to get bread, brandy, 

 etc., for the boat. The mate, Mr. Con, 

 called on the people saying, "Who will 

 stay by the ship?" Several replied they 

 would. He immediately ordered all sail 

 made while the captain was looking on 

 with anxiety for the result. In about twenty 

 minutes the ship was over the reef, when 

 he cast the anchor from the bow and 

 brought up in three and a half fathoms of 

 water, quite smooth. We lay until daylight, 

 when we hauled our rudder on deck, re- 

 paired it and took hides and lined our stern 

 with them as substitute for plank, and at 

 four p. M. we weighed anchor and sailed off 



