LOSS OF THE NOTTINGHAM GALL*" . 181 
weather, too, was so extremely cold, that we could seldom 
stay out of the tent above four hours in the day, and some 
days we could do nothing at all. 
When we had been upon the rock about a week, without 
any kind of provisions, excepting the cheese above mentioned, 
and some beef bones, which we ate, after beating them to pie- 
ces, we saw three boats about five leagues from us, which, 
as may easily be imagined, rejoiced us not a little, believing 
that the period of our deliverance had arrived. I directed all 
the men to creep out of the tent and halloo together, as loud 
as their strength would permit. We likewise made all the 
signals we could, but in vain, for they neither heard nor saw 
us. We, however, received no small encouragement from 
the sight of them, as they came from the south-west ; and the 
wind being at north-east when we were cast away, we had 
reason to suppose that our distress might have been made 
known by the wreck driving on shore, and to presume that 
they were come out in search of us, and would daily do so 
when the weather should permit. Thus we flattered ourselves 
with the pleasing but delusive hope of deliverance. 
lust before we had finished our boat, the carpenter's ax 
was cast upon the rock, by which we were enabled to com- 
plete our work, but then we had scarcely strength sufficient to 
get her into the water. 
About the 21st of December, the boat being finished, the 
day fine, and the water smoother than I had yet seen it since 
we came there, we consulted who should attempt to launch 
her- I offered myself as one to venture in her ; this was 
agreed to, as I was the stronfrest, and therefore the fittest to 
undergo' the extremities to which we might possibly be re- 
duced. My mate also ofl^ered himself, and desiring to accom- 
pany me, I was permitted to take him, together with my 
brother and four more. Thus commending our enterprise to 
Providence, all that were able came out, and with much dif- 
ficulty got our poor patched-up boat to the water side. The 
surf running very high, we were obliged to wade very deep 
to launch her, upon which I and another got into her. The 
swell of the sea heaved her along shore and overset her upon 
us, whereby we again narrowly escaped drowning. Our poor 
boat vras staved all to pieces, our enterprise totally disappoint- 
ed, and our hopes utterly destroyed. 
What heightened our afPxictions, and served to aggravate 
our miserable prospects, and render our deliverance less prac- 
ticable, we lost, with our boat, both our ax and hammer, which 
16 
