290 



Details of the loss of the 

 Peacock. 



DE FUCA'S STRAITS AND 



Particulars of the loss of the 

 Peacock. 



On the ship striking, the helm was immediately 

 put a-lee, and every practical effort was made to 

 bring her by the wind, and haul off. These efforts 

 were not successful, and the ship, which hung by 

 the keel, began to thump heavily. Every sea 

 forced her further upon the shoal, and as she had 

 now become completely unmanageable, the sails 

 were furled. The stream cable and anchor were 

 got ready, and the first cutter was hoisted out. 

 Lieutenant Emmons was sent to sound around the 

 ship in various directions, in one of the waist 

 boats. 



At this time, the wind having veered to the 

 northward and westward, was freshening; the air 

 was hazy and a fog was forming*; the ebb tide had 

 begun to run strong, and meeting, not only the 

 ocean waves, but an opposing wind, in a short time 

 formed breakers which completely enveloped the 

 ship. These breakers soon stove in the first cut- 

 ter, and rendered her useless. Such was the fury 

 of the sea, that it was with great difficulty Lieute- 

 nant Emmons reached the ship, and the boat was 

 secured. 



With every sea the ship lifted and struck hea- 

 vily, and much solicitude was therefore felt lest it 

 should be impracticable to get the launch afloat; 

 but no boat could have lived alongside of the vessel 

 for more than a few moments. 



The lighter spars were now sent down, and the 

 pumps were rigged; every exertion was made to 

 save the masts and lower yards, by which the 

 launch might be hoisted out as soon as the sea 

 would permit it. 



Captain Hudson, finding that the ship was leak- 

 ing badly, ordered the watches in gangs to the 

 pumps, which were thenceforward kept in action 

 until the vessel was abandoned. Every possible 

 exertion was made to bring the ship's head to the 

 sea, but without much effect, for the rudder was 

 soon disabled in consequence of the iron tiller 

 being broken off. The rudder was thus left to 

 thresh about with such violence as to threaten to 

 tear away the stern-frame. 



At last, by heaving the shot overboard, and 

 starting the water, the ship was so much lightened 

 that, by means of the larboard anchor, which had 

 been cast free of the ship, she was hove round with 

 her head to the sea. At low water, which occurred 

 about dark, there was only nine feet depth of water 

 alongside. At 8 h 45 m the chain-cable parted, the 

 ship was again thrown broadside to the sea, and 

 began again to strike heavily. 



At 11" 30 m it was high water; at 1 P.M. the sea 

 was rapidly increasing; and at 2 A.M., the breakers 

 were making a continued breach over the vessel, 

 by which the bulwarks were stove in, and the 

 spar-deck flooded. The water was knee-deep on 

 the gun-deck, and the shot-lockers were buried in 

 it. The night passed heavily, with little hope of the 

 ship's holding together till morning. At last the 

 day dawned, and with the coming light, and at the 

 extreme fall of the tide, the sea providentially 

 abated. 



At six o'clock in the morning, a large canoe 

 boarded the vessel, manned by a crew of Chinook 

 Indians, and having on board old Ramsey, the 

 pilot, with a coloured boy belonging to the Vin- 



During the summer, this wind, haze, and fog occur 

 almost every day in the afternoon. 



cennes, of the name of John Dean. The latter, 

 who had been left by me with Mr. Waldron at 

 Astoria, had persuaded Ramsey and the Indians to 

 come off, for the purpose of rendering assistance. 

 The launch and boats were also hoisted out, a few 

 provisions put in them, and a part of the men and 

 officers embarked, with as little delay as possible, 

 and just as they stood, for fear of overloading the 

 boats, and thus causing the loss of all. In these, 

 Lieutenant Perry, with Purser Spieden, the sick, 

 the naturalists, and the charts, books, and ship's 

 papers, were sent off, to be landed in Baker's Bay. 

 The boats landed all not necessary to row them, in 

 safety ; and succeeded in making a second trip, in 

 which all who had remained on board were taken 

 to the shore, except Captain Hudson, Lieutenant 

 Walker, the boatswain, the carpenter, and about 

 thirty men. 



Towards noon, the breakers again increased; and 

 the sea was making a breach in all directions over 

 the ship, which was filling fast, the water having 

 risen above the level of the berth-deck. The masts 

 were cut away, and the vessel lay a complete 

 wreck, with nothing standing but the stump of the 

 mizzen-mast. 



Lieutenant Emmons, who had charge of the 

 boats, was, during this time, using every possible 

 exertion to make a third trip, but without success; 

 and the crews of the boats were the anxious wit- 

 nesses of the condition of the ship, without being 

 able to relieve those on board from their perilous 

 situation. They persevered, however, in their 

 fruitless and laborious endeavours, until one of the 

 boats, in charge of Mr. Lewis, the gunner, was 

 thrown end over end, and with her crew engulfed. 

 Lieutenant De Haven was fortunately close at 

 hand, and succeeded in saving those on board; all 

 of whom were injured, and one of them severely, 

 by the breaking of his hip-bone. 



The intense excitement, both of those in the 

 vessel and in the boats at this moment, may be 

 readily imagined. The accident was seen from the 

 ship: Captain Hudson was satisfied that any im- 

 mediate attempt to relieve him and his companions 

 must be fruitless ; and that the only chance that 

 remained, was to preserve the boats for a future 

 occasion. 



He therefore ordered the ensign to be hoisted 

 on the stump of the mizzen-mast, as a signal for 

 the boats to return to the land; which was obeyed 

 by them, although with the feeling that they were 

 abandoning their commander and those with him 

 to their fate. Those on board, on the other hand, 

 were released from their anxiety for the boats, on 

 which alone they could depend for being relieved, 

 if the wreck should remain together for a few 

 hours. Of this, however, the prospect was far 

 from promising, amid the struggle between the 

 waters of the great river and those of the mighty 

 ocean, when every surge seemed to forebode the 

 utter dissolution of the fabric of the ship. 



The light articles were now removed to the spar- 

 deck, to give them a chance of reaching the shore i 

 by the action of the waves and winds, should the 

 ship go to pieces. 



In the midst of this trying scene, the ordinary 

 routine of ship's duty was carried on, even to the 

 piping to dinner. It is needless for me to say any 

 thing in praise of the conduct of Captain Hudson, 

 and I have simply to refer to the letters I received 



