Page:Wonderful and surprising narrative of Capt. John Inglefield.pdf/9

 hove in upon the fore-castle and mid-ship, when the ship had been upon her beem-ends, and gone through the decks. Every time that I visited the hatchway, I observed the water encreased, at noon it washed even with the orlop-deck; the carpenter assured me the ship could not swim long, and proposed making rafts for the ship’s company, whom it was not in my power to encourage any longer with a prospect of their safety; some appeared perfectly resigned, and went to their hammocks and desired their mess-mates to lash them in; others were lashing themselves to gratings and small rafts, but the most predominate idea was that of putting on their best clothes.

The weather about noon had been something moderate, and as rafts had been mentioned by the carpenter, I thought it right to make the attempt, tho' I knew our booms could not float the half of the ship’s company in fine weather, but we were in a situation to catch a straw, I therefore called all hands together and told them my intention, recommending to them to remain regular and obedient to their officers. Preparations were immediately made to this purpose, the booms were cleared, the boats, of which we had 3, viz. cutter, pinnace, and a 5 oared yawl which we got over the side. A bag of bread was ordered to be put in each, and any liquors that could be got at: for the purpose of supplying the rafts, I had intended my self to go into the 5 oared yawl, and the coxswain was desired to get any thing from my steward that might be useful. Two men, captains of tops of the fore-castle, or quarter masters, were placed in each of them, to prevent any man from forcing the boats, or getting into them until an arrangement was made.

While these preparations were making, the ship was gradually sinking, the orlop-deck having been blown up by the water in the hold, and the cables floating to the gun-deck. The men had sometime quitted their employment of bailing, and the ship was left to her fate. In the afternoon the weather again threatned, and blew in-strong squals; the sea ran high, and one of the boats, the yawl, stove along side, and sunk. As the evening approached the ship appeared little more than suspended in the water,