SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 15 



and practice would easily execute. And it is no small recom- 

 mendation of such a system, that it will not be under the control 

 of agents or others, but will in fact be executed by the people 

 themselves, in their proper turn and rotation, which will be the 

 surest guard against all mal-practices or improper conduct. 



SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT D. O'BRIEN, R. N. 



WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 



(From the Naval Chronicle.) 



It was on Monday, the 6th of January, 1804, that our ship, the Hussar, 

 Captain Wilkinson, made sail from Ares Bay, in Spain, with dispatches from 

 Sir Edward Pellew, for England, with a fresh breeze from the S. W. Tuesday, 

 7th., wind and weather nearly the same. At nooii (to the best of my recol- 

 lection), observed, in latitude 46 degrees 50 minutes, Ushant, bearing N. 37 

 degrees E., distance 113 or 14 miles. Wednesday, 8th., wind N. E. by E. 

 running nine knots an liour. Every heart elated with joy, expecting in a few 

 hours so be safe moored in the land of liberty ; some employed writing to 

 their friends and relatives : but, alas ! how frail are the hopes of man ! how 

 different had our lot been decreed ; that happy arrival has, with many never 

 yet taken place. The miseries and vicissitudes we were doomed to suffer, will 

 amply appear in the subsequent pages. 



At about 10. 45., steering the same course as above mentioned, and running 

 about 7 knots an hour, in dark hazy weather, we struck on the southernmost 

 part of the Saints ; beat over an immense reef of rocks ; carried away our 

 tiller in several pieces ; unshipped the rudder, and from the violence of 

 beating over, damaged the ship's bottom considerably, so that she made a 

 great deal of water. At length we got into deep water, and let go our bower 

 anchors to prevent being dashed to pieces on immense rocks a-head, on which 

 we were fore-reaching : sent top-gallant-yards and masts upon deck, and used 

 every possible means to ease and lighten the ship ; the major part of the crew 

 were at the pumps. The remainder, with the officers, were employed as was 

 most expedient — staving the water casks in the hold, shoaring the ship up, as 

 the ebb tide was now making, and she was inclining to starboard. The car- 

 penter reported the ship to be bilged, and we could distinctly hear the rocks 

 grinding and working through her, as the tide fell. At daylight Mr. Weymouth 

 (master) was sent to sound for a passage amongst the rocks, imagining we 

 might be able to buoy the ship through ; but he returned without success ; 

 though had he succeeded, from the state the ship was in, there could be very 

 little hope of getting her out. A division of the seamen and marines, with 

 their respective officers, was then ordered to go and take possession of the 

 island ; that in the last extremity there should be an asylum secured for the 

 crew and officers : the rest of the crew remained at the pumps, but with very 

 little success, as she kept gaining upon them. The island was taken without 

 any opposition, the only people on it being a few distressed fishermen, and 

 their families. About 11 A. M. began to land the crew, no hopes remaining 

 of being able to save our ship. However, the remainder of the people kept 

 still working at the pumps, waiting the return of the boats. At noon the 

 flood making strong, and fore-reaching withal. Captain Wilkinson gave direc- 

 tions to let go the sheet anchor, which was immediately done. Strong gales 

 from the S. W. 



