LOSS OF THE NOTTINGHAM GALLEY. 187 
anchor coming home, obliged them to stand off till about noon, 
waiting for smoother water upon the flood. Meanwhile our 
passions were differently agitated ; our expectations of deli- 
verance, and fears of miscarriage, hurried our weak and dis- 
ordered spirits strangely. 
I gave them an account of all our miseries excepting the 
want of provisions, which I did not mention, lest the fear of 
being constrained by the weather to remain with us might 
have prevented them from coming on shore. I earnestly en- 
treated them to attempt our immediate deliverance, or at least 
to furnish us, if possible, with fire, which, with the utmost 
difficulty they at last accomplished, by sending a small canoe 
with one man, who, after great exertion, got on shore. 
After helping him up with his canoe, and seeing nothing 
to eat, I asked him if he could give us fire : he answered in 
the affirmative, but was so affrighted by my thin and meagre 
appearance, that at first he could scarcely return me an an- 
swer. However, recollecting himself, after several questions 
asked on both sides, he went with me to the tent, where he 
VTBS surprised to see so many of us in such a deplorable con- 
dition. Our flesh was so wasted and our looks were so 
ghastly and frightful, that it was really a very dismal spec- 
tacle. 
With some difficulty we made a Are, after which, determin- 
ing to go on board myself with the man, and to send for the 
rest, one or two at a time, we both got into the canoe ; but 
the sea immediately drove us against the rock with such vio- 
lence that we were overset, and being very weak, it was a 
considerable time before I could recover myself, so that I had 
again a very narrow escape from drowning. The good man 
with great difficulty got on board without me, designing to re- 
turn the next day with better conveniences, if the weather 
should permit. 
It was an afflicting sight to observe our friends in the shal- 
lop standing away for the shore without us. But God, who 
orders every thing for the best, doubtless had designs of pre- 
servation in denying us the appearance of present deliverance; 
for the wind coming about to south-east, it blew so hard that 
the shallop was lost, and the crew, with extreme difficulty, 
saved their lives. Had we been with them, it is more than 
probable that we should all have perished, not having strength 
sufficient to help ourselves. 
When they had reached the shore they immediately sent 
an express to Portsmouth, in Piscataqua, where the good peo- 
