16 SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT o'bRIEN. 



Thursday, February 9., 1804, at about 1 P. M. every body was safe landed, 

 with two or three pigs and some biscuit, which were the only subsistence we 

 had secured. Captain Wilkinson and Mr. Weymouth came in the last boat. 

 At about 1. 30. Lieutenant Pridham, Messrs. Carey, Simpson, and Thomas, 

 three warrant officers, with myself, were ordered by the captain to return to 

 the ship ; to cut her masts away, and destroy every thing we possibly could 

 get at. On our arrival on board, the water was nearly square with the 

 comings of the lower deck. At about 3. 30. quitted her, having executed with 

 the greatest accuracy the duty we were ordered upon. The wind still 

 increasing, which left us but little hopes of her hanging together for the night. 

 We joined the officers and crew in a little church, and this was the only place 

 on the island where we could conveniently take up our residence. A regular 

 watch being set, sentinels placed, patroles, &c. regulated ; the rest of the crew 

 endeavoured to repose themselves, being greatly fatigued. The weather was 

 excessively inclement during the night. At daylight, discovering the ship still 

 apparently whole. Captain Wilkinson dispatched Mr. Pridham, and Mr. 

 Mahony, master's mate, with a party of men, to destroy her by fire. The 

 other officers and people \yere employed equipping 13 fishing boats, which 

 belonged to the inhabitants, for the purpose of transporting the ship's company, 

 either to our fleet off Brest, or to England, as circumstances might admit. 

 Mr. Pridham and party returned, and the report of the ship's guns announced 

 the execution of the duty they had been sent upon. Friday, the 10th, at about 

 1. 30. P. M. boats were in readiness ; it then blowing haixl from the S. W. 

 We all embarked in tJiem. I had the honour to command one, with 25 men ; 

 Captain W. with the master, leading in the barge, which was the only ship's 

 boat in company. We made sail out of the little creeks in which the boats 

 had been moored ; the sea running excessively high ; and at about 2. the barge 

 hauled up to the N. W. We all of course followed. At 2. 30. or 3 o' clock 

 we bore up again ; several of the boats were in distress, they being very 

 badly found, having neither sails, rigging, nor ground tackling, that could be 

 at all trusted to. Lieutenants Pridham, Lutwidge, and Barker, were to keep 

 a-head, as no other boats had compasses. At about 5. in a very severe squall, 

 with rain, we lost sight of the barge ; every body was of opinion that she had 

 overset ; and at 5. 30. blowing excessively hard, with a heavy shower of rain, 

 we lost sight of all the boats. At about 6. observed St. Mattliew's Light on 

 the weather bow. The wind now choppe<l round to the N. W., in a very 

 heavy squall, which carried away our mainmast in the step, and fore-eye, 

 and very nearly swamped us, having almost filled the boat with water. 

 Chipped the heel of the main-mast, and rove the main-eye and halliards 

 forward ; which enabled us to set the fore-sail, and keep scudding, running 

 towards Rock Fort, with the expectation of falling in with some of the other 

 boats ; but were disappointed. At 11. determined to anchor in the bottom of 

 Bertheaume Bay, though very little or no hopes of riding long, our only ground 

 tackling being a small grappling, and a few fathoms of 1^ inch. We fortu- 

 nately succeeded in bringing up, though most miserably situated. The weather 

 tide running strong against a violent gale from the N. W. occasioned such a 

 sea, as to bury us frequently in its abyss. A. M. at 2. the sea breaking in a 

 most astonishing manner over us, and finding we were driving, and almost 

 touching abaft, expecting every second to be dashed to pieces on the rocks 

 astern of us ; we hauled in briskly on the grappling rope, hoisted the fore- 

 sail, and wore round : paying out the grappling rope just hauled in, until we 

 brought it right over the quarter, which enabled us to get our grappling on 

 board with ease, while we stood over to the Camaret Bay side, in the hope of 

 falling in with some little haven to shelter us, or with one of the other boats ; 

 but were disappointed in each expectation. 



