Page:Life and unparalleled adventures of Ambrose Gwinnett.pdf/21

 AMBROSE GWINNETT. 21 We weighed anchor on the 3d of August, and for three days had excellent weather; but, on the fourth, je storm began to threaten, and the symptoms still nereasing, by midnight such a hurricane was raised between heaven and earth as I never was witness to about three o'clock, we were obliged to heave the ship under her bare poles, and the sea ran so exceedingly juigh, that we could not venture to keep any lights board, though the night was so dark that we could carcely see one another at a quarter of a yard's dis- ance; the wind still increasing, the main-mast prang about six feet from the deck, so that nothing ould save it. We now began to feel the consequence f lading the vessel too deeply. The first thing we hrew overboard were our guns; and, as our case be- jame more and more desperate, everything followed uem, not excepting the chests of treasure. Thus was once more reduced to my original state of po- verty. As daylight appeared, the storm abated. We Then, as well as we were able, erected jury-masts, nd, in about three hours, managed with the greatest difficulty to get the vessel under sail.is I was then standing by the man at the wheel, haning against the mizen-mast, returning God hanks in my own mind for our amazing escape, when the boatswain came up to me, and said, egad, Mr Gwinnett, you have brought us into a pretty hole were ; if it had not been for you, we should not have ken this trip, and lost the substance we have been forking for so many years, but you loop too, I as- sure you. I asked him what he meant ? He said le would soon let me see ; upon which he and two three others came behind me, seized me by the hpe of the neck and the waistband of the breeches, id forced me over the rails of the quarterdeck into he sea. The shock of the fall, and the maze I was in from ach unexpected treatment, almost bereaved me of my senses. I endeavoured, however, to keep myself