Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/322

 3o8 ANNUAL REGISTER, 175S.

boat was endeavoured to be got out, in which were near a hundred people; but as they were hoiiling her out, one of the tackles gave way, by which rtie overfet, and almoft every foul perifhsd. We were now reduced to the greateft diftrefs. You may have fome idea of our miferable condition, when I tell you the flip b?g3n to be in flames fore anc aft, fpreading like flax; people d:iirad\ed, not know- ing what they did, and jjmping overboard from all parts. 1 was , reduced to the melancholy choice of either (turning with the fhip, or going overboard. Very f.w that could Ivvim were taken np, and I that could not fwim mull have little hopi-i indeed. About a quar- ter pall five, I went into the ad- miral's ftern-gallery, where two young gentlemen were lafhing two tables together for a raft; I afiilt- €d them, and one of them prop T- ed to make fill the lafhing to the gallery, and lower ourielves down to the tables, then cut the lafhing, and commit ourfelves to the mercy of Providence; we hoilled over the tables, but being badly lafhed, one of them we loft ; as foon as the other was down, I propofed to venture firll, which they readily confented to; there were now three boats a-flern, this was the time or never, down I went by the rope; but as there was a great fwell of fea, it was impoffible for any one to f How me, and I was turned adrift. By the cries of the people from the fhip to the boats, in about

• 715 complement.

30 palTengers to Gibraltar.

745

five minutes I was taken i:p, very near drowned *.

From a MiJJhipman, ^ated as above

ON Thurfdaythe 13th, about h:ilf an hour paft one in the afternoon, we were alarmed with fire in the boatfw..in's fore ftore- room, which put us all into great diforder; and it being a very thick fog, we cuuld not fee one fhip in the fleet. We kept firing guns of dillrel's, and no fhip appearing in fight for an hour, we were all in the greatell conllernation ; but the fog then difpeiling, the Glafgow hailed us, to whom we told our condition, and carneflly begged of them to (ave our lives.

The fire flill increaling, we were obliged to hoifl out our boats, which from theconfufion were near three hoars fixing to the tackles, i^c. every body being engaged in preparing to fave himfelf. The poop. Hern, and quarter galleries, were lined with men and boys, crying out in a moll moving man- ner to be affifted. During this time, out of twenty-thr^e fail of fhipf, we had but three boats to our alTillance, and thofe would not come near the fhip for fear of be- ing funk, the poor fellows conti- nually jumping overboard; great numbers of whom were drowned in our fight.

We got our boats out, which ne- ver returned after going once. By this time the fire had communicated itfelf to the middle gun-deck, and

260 faved. 485 loft.

745

nobody