LOSS OF THE PHOENIX. 429 
to the rocks, upon which many ventured and arrived safe. 
There \yere some sick and w^ounded on board, who could not 
avail themselves of this method ; we therefore got a spare 
top-sail yard from the chains and placed one end ashore and 
the other on the cabin window, so that most of the sick got 
ashore this way. 
As I had determined, so I was the last man out of the ship ; 
this was about ten o'clock. The gale now began to break. 
Sir Hyde came to me, aud taking me by the hand, was so 
affected that he was scarcely able to speak. " Archer, I am 
happy beyond expression to see you on the shore, but look 
at our poor Phoenix !" I turned about, but could not say a 
single word, being too full ; my mind had been too intensely 
occupied before ; but every thing now rushed upon me at 
once, so that I could not contain myself, and I indulged for a 
full quarter of an hour. 
By twelve it was pretty moderate ; got some nails on shore 
and made tents ; we found great quantities of fish driven up 
by the sea into holes of the rocks : knocked up a fire and had 
a most comfortable dinner. In the afternoon we made a stage 
from the cabin windows to the rocks, and got out some pro- 
yisions and water, lest the ship should go to pieces, in which 
case we must all have perished of hunger and thirst ; for 
we were upon a desolate part of the coast, and under a rocky 
mountain that could not supply us with a single drop of 
water. 
Slept comfortably this night, and the next day the idea of 
death vanishing by degrees, the prospect of being prisoners, 
during the war, at the Havana, and walking three hundred 
miles to it through the woods, was rather unpleasant. How- 
ever, to save life for the present, we employed this day in get- 
ting more provisions and water on shore, which was not an 
easy matter, on account of decks, guns, and rubbish, and ten 
feet of water that lay over them. In the evening I proposed 
to Sir Hyde to repair the remains of the only boat left, and 
to venture in her to Jamaica myself; and in case I arrived 
safe, to bring vessels to take them all off; a proposal worthy 
of consideration. It was next day agreed to ; therefore we got 
the cutter on shore, and set the carpenters to work on her ; 
in two days she was ready, and at four o'clock in the after- 
noon I embarked with four volunteers and a fortnight's provi- 
sion ; hoisted English colors as we put off from shore, and 
received three cheers from the lads left behind, and set sail 
with a light heart : having not the least doubt that, with God's 
