Tinian and the Run to Batavia
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On the 23d, we had much thunder, lightning, and rain, with strong gales and a great sea. The ship laboured very much, and the rudder being loose again, shook the stern as much as ever. The next day, we saw several small land birds, and the gales continuing, we split the gib and main-top-mast-stay-sail; the wind increased all the remainder of the day, and all night, and on Sunday it blew a storm. The fore-sail and mizen-sail were torn to pieces, and loft; and having bent others, we wore and stood under a reefed fore-sail, and balanced mizen. We had the mortification to find the ship admit more water than usual. We got the top-gallant masts down upon the deck, and took the gib-boom in; soon after which a sea struck the ship upon the bow, and washed away the round-houses, with all the rails of the head; and every thing that was upon the fore-castle: we were, however, obliged to carry as much sail as the ship would bear, being, by Lord Anson’s account, very near the Bashee Islands, and, by Mr. Byron’s, not more than thirty leagues, with, a lee-shore.
The next morning, we sew several ducks and shags, some small land birds, and a great number of horse-flies about the ship; but had no ground with 160 fathom. The incessant and heavy rain had kept every man on board constantly wet to the skin for more than two days and two nights; the weather was still very dark, and the sea was continually breaking over the ship.
On the 27th, the darkness; rain, and tempest continuing, a mountainous sea that broke over us, staved all the half-ports to pieces on the starboard-side, broke all the iron stanchions on the gunwale, washed the boat off the skids, and carried many things overboard. We had, however, this day, a gleam of sunshine, sufficient to determine our latitude,
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Voyaging Accounts |  |
© Derived from Volume I of the London 1773 Edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, page 501, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/hv01/504.html