36 
SHORT NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS, 
being turned upside down, was a very difficult piece of work. This however, we 
might easily have accomplished, had the ship’s company behaved like men, but as 
soon as they knew their danger, they left their tackles, and stood like cowards, 
waiting their fate, which they had not courage enough to endeavour to avoid. In 
hort at about half-past eleven that night, we struck with astonishing violence on a 
ock, about a quarter of a mile from the main land. That horrible scene baffies all 
description; nor I am sure can even the most lively imagination convey half its 
horrors. After shaking very violently two or three times, the ship drifted again 
towards the shore; where she settled upon a rock just as she was sinking. In this 
situation, we turned our thoughts once more towards the boats, but could get 
nobody to work at them, except the captain, two mates, the carpenter, Lieut. Caddy, 
and myself. And with great difficulty we got the small boat over the side, when 
Lieuts. Caddy, Torbes, and myself got into her, to prevent her from staving against 
the ship’s side. But in spite of all our efforts, she was soon nearly half full of water, 
so that we were obliged to leave her again. In getting back to the ship I missed 
my hold, and fell down between the ship and the boat, I swam a few strokes to the 
boat, and was taken in by Torbes, who with Caddy and myself, soon after got safe 
on board again. The boat we left, was soon in pieces; and the long boat, which 
was still hanging in the tackles, was also soon demolished. Being now in 
momentary expectation of the ship’s parting, those who could swim, stript them¬ 
selves, to be in readiness to make that last struggle for their lives. Thus we stood, 
during the remainder of that long, long, night; wet through with the continual 
dashing of the breakers; eagerly wishing for day, in hopes that as soon as it 
dawned, the inhabitants would see us, and come to our assistance. At length it 
came, but only served to augment our distress, by presenting to our view, a rough 
uncultivated mountainous country; without the least vestige of human being. We 
discovered that the rock on which the ship was now settled, was not above fifteen 
yards from a point of the main land which we have since heard is named little 
Boy Head (about three leagues to the eastward of Cone Boy in this island), which 
point of land terminated towards us in an almost perpendicular rock. And we feared 
the heavy sea occasioned by the preceeding day’s wind, w d render our landing in a 
manner impossible; by the violence with which it broke against y e rocks. This we 
were soon convinced of, by the dismal fate of poor Barckley,* and one of the seamen, 
who altho’ they were very expert swimmers, were unable to struggle long with the 
breakers. They left the ship, to try to swim on shore about nine o’clock, the 
seaman had just reached the shore, when a breaker with great violence, dashed him 
against the rocks, and we saw him no more. Poor Barckley (from what cause we 
know not) had only swam a few yards when he stopped, and after struggling a few 
moments in the agonies of death, and waving his hands to us upon deck, he sank 
for ever. The composure with which he bad us all farewell before he committed 
himself to the waves was affecting and admirable. In his efforts to gain the shore, 
lie was stimulated as much from an idea of saving our lives, as his own, but what 
makes his behaviour still more wonderful is, that he did not leave the ship, till he 
had seen the seaman dashed against the rocks. Poor Barnes, soon followed him, 
for as he was standing by the fore chains, a wave swept him from thence into the 
deep, and as he could not swim, his sufferings were soon at an end. To relate 
separately the awful scenes of death which we now beheld, w d only augment my 
distress, in recalling so exactly to my memory, that fatal day. Suffice it to say, 
that during that day, Mrs D’Estimanvile was swept by the waves from the arms of 
her husband, Chev r . D’. a Trench emigrant passenger in the ship; Lieut. Barckley’s 
* This officer’s name was Barclay. In this as in other instances which will be observed, the 
Editor has retained the misspelling of the original, which is characteristic of the period, and 
interesting from the great subsequent distinction of the writer. 
