1014 Third Memoir with reference to [No. 106. 



tempest roaring with great fury, and sea flying over us in foam. The 

 lightning mingling gave it the appearance of fire and water ; the roaring of 

 the wind prevented us distinguishing whether it thundered or not. We 

 were soon enabled to brace the fore yard forward, which in a trough of a sea 

 wore her before the wind, heading per compass SE. by E. directly in 

 the trough of a tremendous sea, knocked up by the wind from North, 

 which rendered our position most dangerous, as every sea appeared 

 coming on board ; in a short time she broached to, with her head north. 

 The wind veering to the westward, and blowing with great fury, the 

 ship was again thrown on her side, but being head to sea, lay much 

 easier (the Barometer sunk to 27-25 in the gale). The foam flying 

 so thick as to extinguish every object except at intervals; a supposed 

 break in the sky afterwards proved to be the top of the sea ! 



29th April About one in the morning, a sudden and awful gust of wind 

 carried away the foremast. It was accompanied with a vivid flash of lightning, 

 which enabled us to see the mast and yards carried up in the air, as if in 

 a whirlwind, and then fall on deck with such violence that the fore yard 

 arm stove in the fore hatchway, and went chock over into the weather 

 wing of the ship, leaving the other arm extended to leeward. To this the 

 wreck of the mast and other yards were attached, acting as a lever 

 on the ship, keeping her side down. It remained thus the rest of the 

 night, in spite of all our endeavours to cut and clear it away from the 

 ship. The furled sails blew away by piece-meal ; the quarter boat filled 

 with water and broke away ; heavy seas breaking on board, and the dark- 

 ness so intense, that we could not see a yard before us ; the water 

 rushing down the hatchways, against all precaution, carried away the 

 larboard bulwark and several stanchions, did the round house much 

 injury, and every thing in its way; we found much difficulty in getting the 

 crew to the pumps. Found a great quantity of water in the hold ; consi- 

 dered it prudent to throw over some of the cargo in order to lighten the 

 ship, as the water forced down the fore hatchway in great quantities. The 

 wreck of the masts aft beating about in a most fearful manner, endanger- 

 ing the main mast, the only spar we had to work the ship with in running 

 down to the Sand Heads. At daylight, wind SW. ; the crew kept constant- 

 ly at the pumps. Barometer rising very slowly, being at 27*30. Noon, sun 

 obscure, Lat. account 16o 2' N. Long. 88° 36' E. p.m. wind SW. still blowing 

 furiously, and ship labouring heavily, shipping water over all ; showers of 

 rain at intervals, hands kept constantly at the pumps, and clearing away 

 the wi*eck. The same weather throughout. 



^Oth April. At daylight loosed the peak of the main sail, hoisted it up a 

 few feet, and hoisted the foretopmast staysail to the throat halliards. 



