APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 



131 



with such tremendous shocks, that 

 we were fearful bhe wouhl instantly 

 go to pieces, and kept striking and 

 driving further on the sands, the 

 sea making breaches completely 

 over her. Cut away the lanyards 

 of the main and mi/.en rigging, and 

 the masts fell with a tremendous 

 crash over tlie larboard side, .Avith 

 the gunwale under water. The vio- 

 lence with which she struck the 

 ground, and the weight of the guns 

 (those on the quarter-deck tearing 

 away the bulwark) soon made the 

 ship a perfect wreck abaft : only 

 four or five guns could possibly be 

 fired to alarm the convoy, and give 

 notice of danger. On her striking 

 the second time most pitiful cries 

 were heard every where between 

 decks, many of the men giving them- 

 selves up to inevitable death. I was 

 told that I might as well stay below, 

 as there was an equal likelihood of 

 perishing if I got upon deck. I was 

 determined to go, but first attempt- 

 ed to enter my cabin, and was in 

 danger of having my legs broken 

 by the chests floating about, and 

 the bulk heads were giving way. I 

 therefore desisted and endeavoured 

 to get upon deck, which I effefted 

 after being several times washed 

 down the hatchway by the immense 

 volume of water incessantly pour- 

 ing down. The ship still beating 

 the ground very heavy, made it ne- 

 cessary to cling fast to some part 

 of the wreck, to prevent being 

 washed by the surges or hurled by 

 the dreadful concussions over-board ; 

 the pcopk holding fast by the lar-* 

 board bulwark of the quarter-deck, 

 and in the main channel, while our 

 good captjun stood naked upon the 

 cabin skylight-grating, holding fast 

 by the stump of the mizen mast, 

 and making use of every soothing 



expression which could have been 

 suggested to encourage men in such 

 a perilous situation. Most of the 

 officers and men were entirely naked, 

 not having had time to slip on even 

 a pair of trowsers. Our horrible 

 situation every moment became more 

 dreadful until daylight appearing 

 about half past four o'clock, dis- 

 covered to us the land at about two 

 cables' distance ; a long sandy beach 

 reaching to Cape Moudego, three 

 leagues to the south of us. On 

 daylight clearing up we could per- 

 ceive between twenty and thirty 

 sail of the convoy asliore, both to 

 the northward and southward, and 

 several of them perfect wrecks. 

 We were now certain of being on 

 the coast of Portugal, from seeing 

 the above Cape, though I am sorry 

 to say no person in the ship had the 

 least idea of being so near that 

 coast. It blowing hard and a. very 

 great swell of the sea, (or what is 

 generally termed, waves running 

 mountains high,) there was littltj 

 prospect of being saved. About 

 eight o'clock, there being ever)' like- 

 lihood of the ship going to pieces, 

 and the after part laying lowest, 

 captain Dixon ordered every person 

 forward, which it was very diflicult 

 to comply with from the mofio.n of 

 the main maSt working on the lar- 

 board gunwale, there being no 

 other Avay to get forward. Mr. 

 Cook, the boatswain, had his thigh 

 broke in endeavouring to get a boat 

 over the side. Of six fine boats not 

 one was saved, being' all stove and 

 washed over-board with the booms, 

 ifcc. Soon after the people got for- 

 ward the ship parted at the gang- 

 ways. The crew were now obliged 

 to stow themselves in the fore chan- 

 nels, and from thence to the bow- 

 sprit end, to the number of 220 ; 

 M m 2 for 



