ST. HELENA 251 



just in front of the sea-gate guard ; the shipkeepers had not been 

 relieved, and were consequently on board at the time. The Desco- 

 brador took the beach broadside on, with the sea breaking over her, 

 and the shipkeeper with his wife and a Lascar were hanging on the 

 rigging. Mr. Chatfield, master's assistant to the Flying Fish, 

 attempted to gain the vessel with a rope, but was overwhelmed in 

 the surf; still he was got safe again to shore. The Town Major then 

 tried to throw a rocket with line between the masts, but it was too 

 heavy and fell short. In the meantime an American dashed into 

 the sea, gained the vessel with a rope, which he lashed round the 

 woman, and jumped overboard with her in his arms ; they were 

 drawn ashore by the people on the beach, amongst whom were 

 Lieut. Grant, R.A., and Dr. Tweedale, H.M.S. Prometheus. The 

 Lascar and shipkeeper afterwards jumped overboard with ropes 

 and were safely hauled ashore. Whilst the Descobrador was beating 

 about, another slaver, partly broken up, came on shore with the 

 velocity of a steamboat and ranged herself by the Descobrador. Then 

 both vessels commenced breaking up very fast. A slaver, name 

 unknown, and a beautiful schooner, Acquilla, soon after broke 

 anchors and came in as though propelled by steam ; she took the 

 beach close to the Descobrador, but continued whole long after the 

 other vessels had gone to pieces. 



It was evident from the fearful height and size of the rollers 

 that other vessels would share the same fate, and about one o'clock 

 the schooner Euphrasia was capsized ; and the following sea beating 

 upon the deck of the Esperanza, broke it into atoms. She was seen 

 for a moment among the foam and surf, and then not a vestige of 

 her was seen again. By this time the sea was covered with masts, 

 yards, casks, and all description of wreck, and about sunset two 

 other vessels, the De Marco and the Julia, were brought in with terrific 

 force upon the west rocks under Ladder Hill. The Julia no sooner 

 reached the rocks than she was dashed in pieces ; indeed it was so 

 sudden that at one moment you saw the vessel with her lower 

 masts standing, and the next she was floating in the surge in ten 

 thousand pieces. 



So in seven hours no fewer than thirteen vessels were dashed 

 to atoms within a few yards of the shore. Eleven of them were 

 captured slavers; the others, the Rocket, belonging to Mr. J. Scott, 

 and the Cornelia, the property of Mr. T. Cole, merchant. The glacis 

 and ditch in front of the works was impassable from wreck of every 

 description. The most extraordinary circumstance attending all 

 this destruction of property was that several merchant vessels were 

 laying at anchorage clear of the rollers with scarcely a move. There 

 was not a breath of wind, the weather was sultry, accompanied with 

 occasional showers. Some idea of the violence of the sea may be 

 formed when the crane and lower wharf with the commissariat coal- 

 yard and one of the reservoirs containing water for shipping have 

 been completely destroyed, together with the whole line up to the 

 sea-gate guard. The glacis is so torn to pieces as to make it impas- 

 sable. The damage to the wharf and line alone is estimated at 



