NO. 2 LAST CRUISE OF H.M.S. "lOO ' PETERSON 23 



doubted that they were aground on Double Head Shot since, under 

 normal circumstances, the course that they had steered could not have 

 carried them to the Florida Keys. Utting sent Lieutenant Randell 

 ashore to see if fresh water was to be had there, but he found none.^"'' 

 As full daylight came Utting landed all the men from the Loo and the 

 prize with the exception of a few who were employed in cutting holes 

 in the frigate's deck to recover casks of water and such other supplies 

 as could be saved. At about lo o'clock, to Utting's great joy, a sloop 

 was sighted offshore and a signal was made to her, but the sloop stood 

 out to the northwestward.^"^ The captain immediately armed all the 

 boats and with Lieutenant Randell and Mr. Bishop in command sent 

 them in pursuit, instructing them to exert every effort to bring the 

 sloop in, since it probably would be their only chance of succor. 



The desperate situation of the group was evident to all. Here were 

 some 280 men stranded on a small sandy islet just oflf a hostile coast 

 swarming with the savage Caloosa Indians who murdered Englishmen 

 on sight. ^°- 



To add to the insecurity was the evident fact that in a blow of any 

 force the whole islet would be swept by waves. 



At night Utting posted watches, each consisting of 25 marines and 

 25 sailors, around the island at the water's edge as "centenells" to 

 prevent a surprise night attack from the Caloosas "the Indians hav- 

 ing numbers of canoes." ^°^ 



The next morning (Monday) as daylight came, Utting and the men 

 ashore were overjoyed to see the boats bringing in the sloop. As they 

 came ashore Randell and Bishop reported that on the approach of the 

 armed boats the Spanish crew had abandoned the sloop and were no 

 doubt now headed for Havana in their boat. 



Meanwhile the men, frightened and confused, became "very rebel- 

 lious and mutinous dividing into parties and growling amongst them- 

 selves," ^°* claiming that the officers no longer had authority over 

 them, and clamored to leave the island immediately. Utting took no 

 notice of them but, with the men who would work, continued efforts 

 to recover water and other provisions from the wreck. 



All day Tuesday was spent in getting water casks from the Loo's 

 hold and in getting the sloop and boats ready for the escape. The 



'00 Randell's deposition. 

 101 Ibid. 



^°- Spaniards fared a little better, as the Caloosas knew they could be ran- 

 somed. 



lo^ Utting's letter of February 15, 1744. 

 lo-" Ibid 



