NO. 2 LAST CRUISE OF H.M.S. "lOO ' — PETERSON 37 



was broke short off the ship, continued striking, I ordered all the boats out as far 

 as possible. Immediately after he came and told me the rudder was gone and 

 that she made some water in the hold but not much, we set all the pumps to 

 work as you must believe on this occasion, and rather gained on her. By this 

 time we was getting the long boat out when there came three or four severe 

 seas and bulged ^ her immediately and had 5 foot water in the hold ; I ordered 

 the master and gunner to come and save what bread and powder they could 

 before the water was over all, which they did and saved 20 bags of bread and 

 6 barrels of powder ^ which was all we could save. 



By this time the "Snow" which shared the same fate, was on her broad side, 

 the ship striking much and tareing all to pieces, and having no prospect of 

 getting her off, ordered the masts to be cut away and all the upper deck guns 

 and anchors to be thrown overboard, that she might lay quiet and by that means 

 save the men which by good fortune she did, though all this time thought I was 

 got on the double head Shott Bank when at daylight to my great surprise we 

 was getting on a small sandy key about 1./1/2 cables^ length long and ./1/2 

 broad which lay on the edge of the Bank of the Martiers 3 leagues^" without 

 them and lies from Cape Florida WSW 7 or 8 leagues is quite steep too, we hav- 

 ing no ground at 50 fathom right up and down not 10 minutes before the ship 

 was ashore and is the only dangerous place on the Florida shore and Doe assure 

 you that from the day I got on that station, I always had the Drapsy ^^ Line 

 going every 1/2 hour from 6 at night till daylight in the morn, the only reason 

 I can give for finding myself on the Florida shore when I expected I was on the 

 double Shott Bank which lies from each other SE b E and NN b N at least 16 

 leagues, must be occasioned by a very extraordinary and very uncommon new 

 current ; as soon as was daylight I landed all the men (but those that was em- 

 ployed to scuttle the decks ^- and get what water and what provisions we could, 

 but could get but 2 butts out the whole day) ; at 10 o'clock this morning being 

 Sunday we saw a small sloop when I immediately man'd and armed all the 

 boats and sent them with orders to board her at all events and bring her here 

 as she would be the means of carrying us off this dismal place, which I plainly 

 saw that any common sea beat all over it and would certainly wash us all off, 

 it being so low and dare not venture upon the main for the Indians which on 

 this part of Florida are savages and innumerable, the next morning being Mon- 

 day the boats to our great joy brought the sloop to us, the Spaniards having 

 all deserted her, she being about 25 or 30 tuns (at most) this day was employed 

 in getting what provisions and water we could out of the ship with what men 

 I could get to work which was but a few, though it was for all their good but 

 all frightened and wanted to be gone for fear of the Indians and was very 

 rebellious and mutinous dividing into parties and growling amongst themselves 



■^ "Bilged" — stove in her planks at or below the waterline of the ship. 



8 A ship of 44 guns on foreign service normally carried 163 barrels of gun- 

 powder in 1781 (Montaine, Will, The Practical Sea Gunners Companion, p. Ti, 

 London, 1781). 



8 The cal)le was 200 yards or one-tenth of a nautical mile. 



^° The English and American marine league is equal to 3 nautical miles. 



^^ Utting was speaking of the dipsey line, which is the deep-sea lead line. 



^2 To cut openings in the decks. 



