920 Wreck of the Transport ^'Indian Oak,'' [No. 105. 



running; the weather being so very thick, the land was scarcely 

 discernible, although not more than three nailes off. Finding ourselves 

 embayed, and no possibility of saving the ship, wore with the hope of 

 saving the lives of the crew, and stood to the southward for what 

 appeared an opening, but which proved only a small inlet or bay, full 

 of breakers. The heavy sea and the want of sail, setting us fast on the 

 shore, between 10-30, and 11 a. m. struck on an extensive rocky 

 ledge, extending about two miles from the shore, with numerous rocky 

 patches, just a-wash. The sea now made a clean breach over the ship ; 

 she shortly after fell over on her beam-ends, and broke her back about 

 the chess tree, the fore part falling in deep water. Cut away the 

 main mast, and some time after the mizen mast. All hands now col- 

 lected aft, under the poop, and on the weather quarter and mizen 

 chains. On the ship's falling over, lost the larboard quarter boat 

 which was washed on shore, by which we observed the tide to 

 be falling. 



The gale now increasing to a severe hurricane, with heavy rain, our 

 only remaining hope was in getting a rope on shore. The first attempt 

 to carry a line on shore was made by William Bagburn (seaman sent 

 from the Blenham) but owing to the strong drawback, failed, and 

 was with some risk hauled in ; a second attempt with the lead line 

 was made by a lascar, who succeeded in reaching the shore (greatly 

 exhausted and cut by the rocks) but lost the line. About this time 

 a number of natives came down and motioned us to land. An 

 attempt was now made to get the jolly boat out, which was stowed 

 on the launch, but in doing so, she was stove to pieces. Several 

 attempts were now made with hatches, gratings, and oars, all of 

 which failed, owing to the line fouling the rocks; two more attempts 

 were made, by two lascars, to carry the log line on shore, one of 

 whom succeeded, and the end of the deep sea lead line got on 

 shore, but which also fouled the rocks, and was thereby rendered use- 

 less. The tide coming in, all the Islanders with our two men left 

 the reef ; our only remaining hope being in the strength of the ship, 

 and the after part holding together. As the tide came in, the wind 

 and sea increased ; the latter making a complete breach over all, 

 fore and aft, and throwing pieces of sheathing and copper over the 

 vessel in all directions. Finding it impossible to hold on longer on 



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