Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/27

Rh On Monday the 29th, about eleven in the morning, the wind sprung up from the north-east, accompanied with dark hazy weather, and a heavy sea. At twelve, after violent rain, the wind increased to a gale, and so tremendous a swell came rolling into Table Bay that it occasioned our ship to strike the ground, in which dangerous predicament she continued nearly two hours. The violence of the shocks she sustained tore away the rudder from its fastenings, and stove in part of the stern. Our chief officer, who was on board, immediately hoisted lights, and fired several guns as signals of distress; on hearing which the Captain, who happened to be on shore, went down to the beach, and, though the evening was so dark that the vessel could only be seen for a moment, during the flashing of the guns, succeeded, with the assistance of his supercargo, and two captains of merchant-vessels, who volunteered their services on the occasion, in launching a boat and getting her off to the ship, where he arrived just in time to remedy the disaster, and prevent farther mischief. Admiral Bertie considered the situation of the vessel extremely dangerous, and exerted himself very strenuously to prevent the loss of lives and property likely to ensue in the event of her being driven on shore; for which purpose he ordered out a parole of dragoons on the beach; while he himself waited in great anxiety, to render any personal assistance, that might be requisite.

Owing to the entrance into the Bay being at this season interdicted by the Dutch law, it appears that there exists no provision at Cape Town, with respect to boats or seamen, for the purpose of affording aid in cases of distress; the whole of the naval establishment being removed to Simon's Town. This deficiency ought to be remedied, or at least a life-boat might be kept in readiness, to preserve the lives of persons endangered, as it is by no means unusual for merchant-vessels to run all hazards, rather than subject their cargo to the heavy expenses attendant on the land carriage from Simon's Bay.

The reader will easily imagine the anxious state of suspense, in which I was kept during this distressing occurrence; it, however, seemed to turn out ultimately to our advantage; for the delay it occasioned, enabled me to