Page:The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war.djvu/258

 234 While the men were working in the darkness a soldier fell overboard, but succeeded in seizing a rope, and called and shrieked for help. No one could see him, or knew just where he was. “Where are you?” asked Wiederhold. “Hanging on to the ship,” answered the soldier; “I can't hold on much longer. Help me quickly, or I shall fall into the sea and drown.” His comrades tried to get to him, but before they could reach him a wave was quicker than they, and washed him aboard again; and, says Wiederhold, in his narrative, “he's alive and healthy yet.” While the work was going on, Wiederhold noticed the master and some of the sailors, with a lantern, moving about the boats which were fastened to the ship, and, as he thought, preparing to launch one of them. Wiederhold asked the master what he was doing. “Oh, nothing,” answered the master; “I am only seeing if they are fast enough.” Wiederhold then asked for the lantern, on a pretext, and when he had got it and given it to one of his soldiers, he took the master by the arm, led him down to the cabin, and put him under arrest, in charge of two officers. This was done for fear the master should abandon the brig with his sailors, and leave the soldiers to their fate. When morning broke the boats were found to be past service. They were thrown overboard, and the master was released.

During the 16th of September the storm was abating, and the 17th was a clear day. The observation taken at noon showed 37° 19' north latitude, so that the brig had drifted nearly as far south as