LOSS OF THE GROSVENOR INDIAMAN. 25 
The captain endeavored to dispel the fears of the passen- 
gers, and begged them to be composed. The pumps were 
sounded, but no water found in the hold, as the ship's stern lay- 
high on the rocks. In a few minutes the wind blew off the 
shore, which filled them with apprehensions lest they should 
be driven out to sea, and thus lose the only chance they had of 
escaping. The powder room was by this time full of water, 
the masts were cut away, without any effect, and the ship 
being driven within a cable's length q{ the shore, all hopes 
of saving her vanished. 
This dismal prospect produced distraction and despair, and 
it is impossible to describe the scene that ensued. Those 
who were most composed set about forming a raft, hoping by 
means of it to convey the women and children and the sick 
to land. Meanwhile three men attempted to swim to the 
shore with the deep sea-line ; one perished in the attempt, 
but the other two succeeded. By these a hawser was at 
length carried to the shore and fastened round the rocks, in 
which operation they were assisted by great numbers of the 
natives, who had come down to the water's edge to witness the 
uncommon sight. 
The raft, being by this time completed, was launched over- 
board, and four men got upon it to assist the ladies ; but they 
had scarce!)'- taken their station before the hawser which was 
fastened round it snapped in two, by which accident it was 
upset, and three of the men drowned. In this dilemma eve- 
ry one began to think of the 'best means of saving hiinself 
The yawl and the jolly boat had already been dashed to pie- 
ces by the violence of the surf ; so that the only means of 
preservation now left was by the hawser made fast to the 
rocks, hand over hand. Several got safe on shore in this 
manner, while others, to the number of fifteen, perished in the 
difiicult attempt. 
The ship soon separated just before the main-mast. The 
wind at the same time providentially shifted to the old quar- 
ter, and blew directly to the land, a circumstance which con- 
tributed greatly to the preservation of those on board, who all 
got on the poop, as being nearest to the shore. The wind 
and surges now impelling them, that part of the wreck on 
which the people were rent asunder fore and aft, the deck 
splitting in two. In this distress they crowded upon the star- 
board quarter, which soon floated into shoal water, the other 
parts of the v.'reck breaking off those heavy seas which would 
othervvdse have ingulfed or dashed them to pieces. Through 
3 
