Narratives of Shipwrecks of the Royal Navy; between 1793 and 1849 by William O. S. Gilly

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All having embarked, they started with the intention of steering
towards a cay which was in sight, but the current proved too strong,
and the raft was swept into deep water. The sail was then set, and
they steered in the direction of what was supposed to be a wreck, or
vessel, in the same situation as themselves; but on nearing, it proved
to be a sand-bore, on which people were distinctly seen walking to and
fro. They immediately conjectured that these must be the crew of one
of the boats, a supposition which afterwards proved to be correct.
Every effort was made to gain the bank, but the current was too
strong, and they found it impossible to reach any part of the reef.

Lieutenant McDonnell, who had been suffering some days from ill
health, was now so exhausted that he was obliged to be supported upon
the raft. He was, therefore, unable to give any commands; and, after a
short consultation, it was considered best to stand out to sea, in the
hopes of falling in with some vessel. The night had set in, and they
steered a course westward. On the following morning a white bottom was
seen, but immediately afterwards the raft was again in deep water. All
this time they had nothing to eat; their sole subsistence being a
small quantity of rum, which was served out at stated intervals.

The following morning, about eight o'clock, land was observed right
ahead, and they endeavoured to steer in that direction; but their
progress, from the heavy construction of the raft, was necessarily
very slow, and it was not until sunset that they found themselves
about nine or ten miles from the shore. All the next night they stood
in the same direction; and about four or five o'clock in the morning,
as near as they could guess, they were cast by the surf upon the
beach. Utterly prostrate with the fatigues they had undergone, they
threw themselves upon the sand, and soon found in sleep a brief
forgetfulness of their past cares and troubles. They did not awake for
many horn's, when, upon looking around, they discovered that the
commander was absent. This, however, gave them no uneasiness, as it
was supposed that he had gone in search of assistance. The first
object was to proceed in quest of water, of which they stood in most
need. They had gone for more than a mile without finding anything to
moisten their lips, or any signs of habitation, when one of the men
discovered a cocoa-nut tree: here was both food and drink, and with
avidity they seized upon the fruit, and found relief from their most
urgent wants.

Amongst the party who were cast on shore were Mr. Malcolm, a master's
assistant, and Mr. Price, a merchant; these, with the rest of the men,
proceeding a little further into the woods, became so fatigued that
they were obliged to return to the place where they were first cast,
whilst their companions prosecuted the search for Lieutenant
McDonnell, whose continued absence had given the greatest alarm.

About one o'clock, some of the men returned, but brought no tidings of
the commander; they said that the rest of the men had determined to
walk round the cay, as they conjectured the place on which they were
cast was Ambegris Cay, and more especially as Mr. Price, who had been
long a resident at Honduras, had assured them that to the south-east
there was a plantation belonging to one of his friends.

About two hours afterwards the men returned, but neither their
endeavours to find a habitation nor any traces of Lieutenant McDonnell
had been successful. They said that it had been their intention to
walk round the cay, but from the appearance of the coast, they did not
think it was possible to do so that day. It was then proposed that
they should rest where they were during night, and renew their search
at an early hour next morning.

Whilst they were sitting on the beach, one of the men thought he saw
Mr. McDonnell running in the surf, about half a mile distant. Ritchie,
the gunner's mate, immediately proceeded in the direction where he was
supposed to be, and found that unfortunate officer in a state of
delirium. He endeavoured to persuade him to come down to where the
rest of the men were assembled, but a few incoherent words were his
only reply. Ritchie was, therefore, obliged to return to his comrades
for assistance; and having communicated the sad condition of their
officer, they all proceeded together to the spot where he was last
seen, but found no traces of the commander. Search was made in every
direction, but in vain; and as night was approaching, they were
reluctantly obliged to return to the place which they had fixed upon
as their rendezvous. In their way thither they gathered some more
cocoa-nuts, and having satisfied their hunger and thirst, lay down to
rest, under the canopy of heaven, and with no softer bed than what the
sandy beach afforded.

The next morning the men again declared their intention of walking in
search of the plantation mentioned by Mr. Price. Mr. Malcolm, who had
become the senior officer in the absence of Mr. McDonnell, advised
them to remain where they were, and to build a hut, and dig a well for
water; he assured them that, as long as there was a plentiful supply
of cocoa-nuts, they could not starve, and that the chances were,
assistance would arrive. All was, however, to no purpose; they would
not listen to any argument, and even disregarded his authority. It was
as much as he could do to insist upon their first going in search of
their commander.

After a long time employed for this purpose, they discovered Mr.
McDonnell asleep beneath a parmetta tree. Upon hearing footsteps
approaching, he awoke, but in such a feeble state that he was unable
to rise without assistance, and from the wildness of his manner, there
was too much reason to fear that his reason had fled. They gave him
some cocoa-nut milk, which he eagerly drank, and this appeared to give
him some relief. With difficulty they made him comprehend that they
intended to proceed to the plantation for assistance, but he refused
to join them, alleging that a boat was coming for him. In a short time
he appeared a little more collected, and agreed to join the
expedition. There still remained a small supply of rum, and a portion
of this being poured into some empty cocoa-nuts, it was distributed
equally amongst the men, and they all commenced their journey, the men
about 200 yards ahead, and Mr. McDonnell, supported by Malcolm and Mr.
Price, brought up the rear.

After proceeding in this way about two miles, Mr. McDonnell's strength
utterly failed, and he sank down upon the ground, declaring that he
could go no further; every entreaty was urged to persuade him to make
another effort, but both the powers of the mind and body had deserted
the unfortunate officer, and Malcolm and his companion were at a loss
to know what course to pursue. After a brief consultation they
determined to leave Mr. McDonnell, and as soon as they reached the
plantation, which Mr. Price declared could not be far distant, return
with assistance.

They then once more resumed their journey, the men proceeding ahead
as before; in the middle of the day they stopped to rest, and again
resumed their march until about an hour before sunset, when they
arrived at two cocoa-nut trees; and as these formed not only a place
of shelter, but also a means of procuring food, they determined to
remain there for the night. The men who had climbed up the trees, and
were gathering fruit, descried a pond, or creek, in the wood, about
half a mile distant. Mr. Price then observed, if that was the case,
they were on the mainland, and not on Ambegris Cay.

They were now in a great dilemma, for they were uncertain which way to
proceed, and Mr. Malcolm endeavoured to persuade the men to return to
the beach, assuring them that it was quite useless their proceeding
any further, for they did not know where they were going; but they
turned a deaf ear to every argument, declaring that they would walk as
long as they were able. Mr. Price, the merchant, agreed with the rest
of the men, and urged them to continue their journey, in the hopes
that they might be seen by some coasting boats going to Belize. This
was Saturday night; and after toiling all day, they had only walked
ten miles from where they had left Mr. McDonnell. The next morning Mr.
Malcolm again entreated the men to remain, but it was of no avail, and
they recommenced their march.

The men continued to walk together until Tuesday evening, subsisting
upon cocoa-nuts, which they gathered on their way, when Malcolm was
obliged to be left behind, as he was unable to walk any further. The
next morning he was found by some natives, and taken to Ambegris Cay,
where the men had arrived the previous evening.

We must now return to the fate of the cutter, which it will be
remembered left the wreck on the morning of the 28th of February,
taking the raft in tow. They endeavoured to return to the schooner,
but the current proving too strong, they were obliged to abandon the
attempt, and ran before the wind until they made a sand-bore, on the
south end of the reef, about an hour afterwards.

They then cut the raft adrift, and landed the men that were in the
cutter, sending the boat back with two men to carry the rest off the
raft, as it was impossible to bring the raft to the sand-bore. It was
about seven o'clock in the evening when they were all safely landed,
the cutter being at this time in such a condition, that she could not
have floated, even in smooth water, without baling.

They then dragged the boat up the beach, where they remained until
daylight next morning, the 1st of March. Mr. Nopps, master's-assistant,
who was the commanding officer of the party, determined to leave the
majority of the men on the sand-bore, and proceed to the wreck; he
accordingly started with five men in the cutter, in hopes of reaching
the schooner, but as it blew strongly from the northward, and the boat
had no jib or mizen, and the mainmast and sprit sprung, they found it
impossible to beat to windward. In this condition, as there was no
appearance of the wind abating, and nothing to eat except some salt
pork, and only two beakers of water, one of which had been drunk during
the night, Mr. Nopps considered it his duty to take the boat with these
five men, and run for the first place they could fetch, hoping to reach
Belize, which was nearly before the wind.

For two days they scudded before the wind, without being able to set
any sail, and had passed at least forty miles to the southward of
Belize, before the wind abated; during this time they suffered
severely from want of water, the last beaker having been finished,
and the salt pork increasing their thirst. It was not until twelve
o'clock on Tuesday, the 3rd of March, that they arrived in Belize
roads, and were taken on board the Fly.

Here they received every attention that was necessary, and Mr. Rogers,
the master of the Fly, accompanied by Mr. Nopps, was despatched in the
Governor's schooner to the assistance of the men who were left on the
sand-bore, and of the others who were still supposed to be upon the
wreck.

On the following Friday, the 6th of March, they reached the sand-bore,
and having taken off the men, proceeded to the wreck, where they found
only two men, from whom they learnt that Lieutenant McDonnell, and the
rest of the people, had quitted the wreck two days previously. Pilot
boats were then sent in search, and another party explored the coast;
and after visiting Long Bay, without hearing any tidings, returned to
Belize.

In the course of two days, a boat arrived with the eight men who had
been with McDonnell, who reported that they had left that officer,
almost dead, in the wood.

Mr. Nopps again departed in a pilot-boat in search of his commander,
but when he reached Ambegris Cay, the boat was unable to beat up
outside the breakers, and it came on to blow so violently during the
night, that they were prevented from landing; the following day they
were more successful, and Mr. Nopps walked up the coast. For two days
his search proved useless, but on the third he had the pleasure of
finding Mr. McDonnell still alive, in a hut, under the care of some
Indians. After the lapse of two days, he was so far recovered as to be
taken on board the pilot-boat, and arrived next morning at Belize Bay.

It would have been happy if all connected with the Firefly had been
equally fortunate. The gig, which had been sent from the wreck to
Belize for assistance, was found several days afterwards cast upon the
beach, broken in two, and all in her must have perished.

Lieutenant McDonnell was promoted to the rank of commander in 1846,
and at present is unemployed.

THE AVENGER.

The Avenger, a steam frigate, with an armament of 6 heavy guns and 280
men, sailed from Gibraltar on the afternoon of the 17th of December,
1847. As her commander, Captain Charles G.E. Napier, was anxious to
spare the coal, the steam was reduced to the least possible degree,
leaving sufficient to work the wheels up to the rate of sailing. On
Monday, the 20th, the steamer was running with square yards, at the
rate of eight or nine knots an hour, steering about east by south,
under double-reefed topsails and reefed foresail. At eight o'clock in
the evening the usual watch was placed, with directions to keep a
careful look-out. The night was dark and squally, with a high sea
running, and occasionally loud peals of thunder were heard,
accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning.

Most of the officers were collected in the gun-room, with the
exception of the captain, who had retired to his sleeping cabin. He
had directed his steward to request the attendance of the master, and
of Mr. Betts, the second master, who soon joined him in the cabin,
where they remained for a few minutes examining the charts. The
captain's steward relates, that the above officers went upon deck,
when Captain Napier desired him to take away the light, and to leave a
small lamp burning in the fore-cabin, which was always kept alight at
sea during the night. He accordingly did so, and returned to his
berth. In about half-an-hour afterwards he heard some one come down
from the quarter-deck, and go into the captain's cabin. In about five
minutes the captain went upon deck, where he remained for a short
time, and again returned to his cabin, but had scarcely closed the
door, before he was summoned upon deck by the officer of the watch.

The officers in the gun-room were upon the point of retiring to their
berths, when they were startled by a sudden jerk, which they at first
supposed to be a gun broken adrift, but the next moment the ship gave
a heavy lurch, as if filling, and her whole frame appeared shaken, and
every beam loosened. It would be in vain to attempt to describe the
dismay of the crew of the ill-fated Avenger, when thus roused from a
sense of comparative security, to find themselves in an instant upon
the verge of destruction. Already the deck was crowded with people,
most of them only partially clothed, and the rest almost naked. On the
bridge between the paddle-boxes stood the captain and master; Mr.
Ayling, the master's assistant, the quarter-master, and two seamen
were at the wheel. In another minute the ship gave a heavy lurch to
starboard, and the sea poured over the forecastle. The captain then
gave the order, 'Out boats--lower away the boats.' These were his last
words, for he was immediately afterwards washed overboard and drowned.

Lieutenant Rooke, who never appears to have lost his presence of mind,
immediately went forward to assist in lowering the boats, but under
the firm impression that the ship was fast sinking, and with little
hope that there was time enough to get out the boats, or even if
lowered, that they could live in such a heavy sea. He saw, however, if
anything was to be done, it must be done immediately; he therefore
went amongst the men endeavouring to persuade them to lower the
starboard cutter; Mr. Betts, the second master, at the same time
attempted to lower the port one. Every entreaty and persuasion that
Lieutenant Rooke could use was, however, of no avail; the men seemed
paralysed with the sudden panic and the apparent helplessness of their
situation. Instead of affording assistance, they clustered together,
exclaiming, 'Oh, my God, Sir, we are lost--we are lost!' Mr. Rooke,
finding that all his arguments were of no avail, crossed the deck to
the port side for the purpose of helping Mr. Betts in lowering the
port cutter. In his way he met Larcom, the gunner, who had just come
from below, with his clothes under his arm, having been in bed when
the ship struck. Hastily acquainting him with his intention, they made
the best of their way to the cutter, where they were joined by Dr.
Steel, the surgeon, Mr. Ayling, master's-assistant, John Owen, a
stoker, James Morley, a boy, and W. Hills, captain's steward. At this
moment, Lieutenant Marryat made his appearance, his manner calm and
self-possessed; he was in the act of addressing himself to one of the
party, when the ship gave a heavy lurch to starboard, and the gallant
young officer lost his footing, and was washed overboard.

Whilst they were in the act of lowering the cutter, an accident
occurred, which was nearly proving fatal to all their hopes of
preservation.

In lowering the boat, the foremost fall got jammed, and the after one
going freely, the boat had her stern in the water, and her bows in the
air; at this moment, Dr. Steel threw in his cloak, which fortunately
got into the sleave-hole of the after fall, and stopped it.

Just as the boat touched the water, and before the tackles were
unhooked, the ship struck again heavily, and began swinging broadside
to the sea, falling over to starboard at the same time, which, from
the cutter being the port one, made her crash with great violence
against the ship's side; however, by dint of great exertion, the boat
was got free from the tackles, and pulled clear of the ship.

The Avenger now lay broadside to the sea, with her head towards
Africa, falling at the same time to windward, with her deck exposed;
the foremast, mainmast, and mizen topmast falling over the starboard
side, and the funnel on the gangway, no doubt killing many of the crew
as it fell. As the boat left the ship's side, some one attempted to
burn a blue-light, but it went out immediately. The sea was now
occasionally seen to break over the forecastle and quarter, and Mr.
Rooke, in the hope of saving some of the crew, gave orders to lie on
their oars, and keep the boat's bow to the ship, to be ready to pick
up any of the survivors in the event of the ship's falling to pieces.
Lieutenant Rooke and his little party[19] remained by the ship for
about an hour and a half, the moon at intervals shining out brightly
from behind the heavy clouds, and discovering the Island of Galita,
apparently at about ten or twelve miles distant. The weather now
became more tempestuous; the rain poured in torrents; and all being
almost exhausted with pulling against a strong current, and being
gradually drawn away from the ship, Lieutenant Rooke considered it
most advisable to run under the lee of Galita, and there, if possible,
remain on their oars until there was daylight sufficient to land, and
seek assistance for the ship, in the event of the island being
inhabited.

All being of the same opinion, the boat's head was turned towards
Galita, and they took a last look of the Avenger, which appeared to be
firmly fixed, and likely to hold together for some time.

The weather grew worse and worse; the boat, under a close-reefed mizen
on the bumpkin stepped as a foremast, was steered with an oar by the
second master. When they had arrived within about two miles of the
island, the wind shifted to a very severe squall, accompanied with
lightning, thunder, and a heavy hail-storm. Mr. Larcom, the gunner,
now took the place of the second master in steering the boat, which
was scarcely got round, before the wind caught her with such violence,
that it seemed impossible the boat could live.

The squall continued without intermission for two hours and a half,
when the moon again emerged from the clouds, and the Island of Galita
was discovered on the port quarter. Some in the boat exclaimed, 'That
is the island!' which, at the time, they supposed to be long out of
sight, as the boat appeared to be going rapidly through the water;
this naturally led to a conjecture that a strong current set to the
northward and eastward. The wind still continued to veer about, and at
one time they thought that they must have passed the ship, but the
night was too dark to enable them to discern anything clearly many
yards beyond the boat.

In this manner they passed the long hours of night, exposed to cold,
hunger, and exhaustion; and, as Lieutenant Rooke afterwards observed,
with the full expectation that they would be unable to survive until
morning. The second master appeared to have lost all reason. Upon
being questioned as to whereabouts they were, or in what direction it
was necessary to steer, he seemed to be scarcely aware that he was
addressed. The doctor, the master's assistant, and the boy Morley,
were lying at the bottom of the boat during the whole night, and the
stoker, John Owen, was wrapped in his jacket, and appeared, if
possible, in a worse condition than the second master. When asked to
do anything, he only replied by vacant answers, and before morning
became an idiot. At last the wished-for day broke, and the coast of
Africa was discerned about eight or nine miles distant. As Lieutenant
Rooke considered that the boat could not be kept above water much
longer, he determined upon attempting a landing, and accordingly he
himself steered her towards a small spot of sand, apparently clear of
the rocks, and slightly sheltered by a reef running out into the sea.

This officer, from the time the boat quitted the Avenger, had,
notwithstanding his own personal sufferings, set a noble example to
his comrades, by exerting every effort to sustain their drooping
spirits. As he approached the shore, he exclaimed in a cheerful voice,
'This is something like Don Juan's shipwreck; I only hope we shall
find a Haidee.' It must not be supposed that this was said out of
bravado, or because he was not perfectly aware of the danger, but from
the necessity of his duty, as their commanding officer, to infuse a
new spirit into his exhausted crew, and to encourage them in the
approaching struggle, which he well knew would he 'life or death.' On
hearing the above words, poor Steel, the doctor, exclaimed, 'Rooke!
Rooke! there are other things to think of now.' The words were
prophetic, for before many minutes had elapsed, he had ceased to
exist. As they approached the shore, the sail was shifted from the
port side to the starboard, and the sheet which had been held by
Hills, the captain's steward, for ten hours, was fastened to the
thwarts.

Mr. Rooke now again resigned his place as steerer to Larcom, the
gunner, and assisted the others in baling out the boat, which had
shipped a heavy sea on the quarter. The boat was steered within about
one hundred and fifty yards of the beach, when the rollers caught her,
first lifting her upright, and, as there was not water enough to float
her whole length, she filled and capsized. Larcom, Lieutenant Rooke,
Hills, the captain's steward, and the boy Morley, succeeded in gaining
the beach, but the rest of their unfortunate comrades perished.

We should here mention that this was the second occasion on which the
boy Morley narrowly escaped a watery grave.

When the Avenger was at Lisbon, the boy fell overboard, and would have
perished, had it not been for Lieutenant Marryat, who, at the risk of
his own life, sprung into the sea, and rescued the boy.

In a few minutes a Bedouin Arab, who had been watching the boat from
some high ground, came toward them and conducted them to his hut,
where he supplied them with some milk; and having lighted a fire, they
were enabled to dry their clothes.

They remained with their hospitable entertainer during that day, and
in the evening made a supper of maize-cake and sour milk. In the
meantime, Mr. Rooke had made the Arab understand their situation, and
their wish to get to Tunis; and after some trouble and promise of
reward, he agreed to conduct them next morning to Biserta. The wearied
men then threw themselves on the ground, where they passed the night
in company with dogs, cows, and goats, exposed to a violent wind and
pouring rain.

Their subsequent proceedings are thus related by Lieutenant Rooke:--

'Wednesday, December 22nd.--At about 9 A.M. we started. Our road lay
at first over a ridge of high hills, from which we saw nothing of the
ship. We then crossed a sandy plain covered with the cactus, which
severely wounded my feet. Afterwards passed through some wooded
ravines, and over an extensive marsh intersected with brooks. Towards
the evening a horseman overtook us, who seeing the tired condition of
the steward, his feet bleeding, and also suffering from a gash on his
head, received whilst landing, carried him for about four miles, and
when his road lay in a different direction, gave our guide his gun,
and a piece of silver for us.

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