> 
ee eer, 
\ 
APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE.  [257, 
ful profpeét being rendered- fill 
_ more difmal by the thick, black, 
_ ftormy clouds, which appeared as if 
collected to hide our -misfortunes 
from the compaffionate eye of Pro- 
oe ae. 
The people till- now had been 
Kept unacquainted with the true 
fate of the fhip, which, had hi- 
therto been reported favourable ; 
when one of the carpenters ftationed 
to found.the well, came ep, and re- 
ported that the water was as high 
as the hallop-deck,. and gaining 
above a foot every half hour. The 
officers could not poflibly fupprefs 
this report; and many of the peo- 
ple, who were really unable to bear 
the fatigue any longer, immediately 
defponded, and gave themfelves ‘up 
to perifh with the fhip. A part of 
thofe who had got any ftrength: left, 
feeing that their utmoft efforts to 
fave the hip were likely to be in 
vain, applied to the officers for the 
_ boats, which were promifed to be 
-.meceffaries were 
" pet in readinefs for them, and the 
oat{wain was direttly ordered to 
, put the mafts, fails, and compafs, in 
each. ‘The. cooper was alfo fet to 
work to fill a few quarter-catks of 
_water out of fome of. the butts on 
deck, and provifions and other 
got up from the 
hold. : 
_ Many hours previous to - this, 
Lieutenant Riou had privately de- 
# 
_clared to his officers, that he faw the 
* final lofs of the fhip was inevitable, 
and could not help regretting the 
-lofs of fo many brave fellows. «“ As 
for me,” faid he, “I have deter- 
mined to remain in the fhip, and 
Mhall endeavour to make my pre- 
fence ufeful as long as there is any 
e¢cafion for it.” 
._ He was intreated, and even fup- 
Vou, XXX. 
plicated, to give up this fatal refo- 
lution, and -try for fafety in the 
boats. It was even hinted to him 
how highly ‘criminal it was to. per- 
fevere in {uch a determination; but 
he was.not to be moved by any in- 
treaties. 
He was, notwithftanding, as active 
in providing for the fafety of the 
boats,.as if he intended to take the 
opportunity of fecuring his own 
efcape. He was throughout as calm 
and collected as in the happier mo- 
ments of his life. 
At feven o’clock fhe had fettled 
confiderably abaft, and ‘the water 
was coming in at the rudder-cafe in 
great quantities, At half paft feven, 
the water in the hold obliged the 
people below to come upon deck; 
the fhip appeared to be ina finking 
flate, and fettling bodily:down, it 
was therefore almoft immediately 
agreed to have recourfe to the boats. 
While engaged in confultation on 
this melancholy bifinefs, Mr. Rion 
wrote a letter to the Admiralty, 
which he delivered to Mr. Clements. 
It wasas follows: = 9 
«< HM. 8. Guardiai, 
: ‘Dec. 25, 1789, 
Jf any part of the officers or 
crew of the Guardian>fhould ever 
sfarvjve ‘to get home, I have only to 
fay, their conduct after the fatal 
ftroke againft an ifland of ice was 
admirable and ‘wonderful in every 
thing that relates to their duty, con- 
fidered-either a3 private men, or in 
his majefty’s fervice. 
<< As there feems to be no poffi- 
bility of my remaining many hours 
in .this world; I beg leave to re- 
commend to the coufideration of 
the Admiralty a fifter, who, if my 
conduct or fervice Thould be found 
deferving any memory, theit favour 
[R] mighi 
