A True Account of the Voyage of the Nottingham-Galley of London, / John Dean Commander, from the River Thames to New-England

by Christopher Langman; Nicholas Mellen; sailor on the Nottingham galley George White

The Nottingham-Galley of 120 Tons, 10 Guns, and 14 Men, John Dean Commander, took in part of her Lading in the River Thames, which was Cordage, and the rest in Butter and Cheese, at Killybags in Ireland. But Captain Dean in his Narrative has omitted to acquaint the World that 4 of the Guns were useless, and that not above 6 of the Men were capable to Serve in the Ship, in case of bad Weather. She Sail'd from Gravesend the 2d Day of August, 1710. to the Nore, and from thence on the 7th, with 2 Men of War, and several Merchant-Men under their Convoy, towards Scotland. When we came off of Whitby, the Fleet brought to, and several of the Ships were a-stern. We having a fine Gale, the Captain said he would Run it, and make the best of his way for Ireland, which we did. And when we were on that Coast, the 12th of August, we saw 2 Ships in a Bay, towards whom the Captain would have bore down, but the Men would not consent to it, because they perceiv'd them to be French Men of War. Upon this we stood off to Sea till 12 at Night; when the Captain coming upon Deck, we Sail'd easily in towards the Shore, by the Mate's Advice, till Daylight, and came so near Land that we were forced to stand off. The next Day we saw the two Privateers again, and the Captain propos'd to stand down towards them, or to come to an Anchor; but the Mate and the Men oppos'd it. The Captain was seconded in this by Charles Whitworth the Merchant, who said in the hearing of the Boatswain, and others, That he had rather be taken than otherwise, tho' he had an Eighth Part of the Ship, because he had Insured 200 l. And the Captain said, He had rather run the Ship ashore than perform his Voyage, if he thought he could be safe with the Insurers, because his Brother had insur'd 300 l. upon her. Accordingly he put in towards the Shore, to find out a proper Place for that purpose, and ordered the Boatswain to get the Tackle upon the Boat and hoist her overside, that she might be in readiness to go ashore. At the same time the Captain and Charles Whitworth went to the Cabbin to get out the best of their Goods in order to carry them with them; and putting them up in a Chest, commanded the Men to carry them into the Boat, which they did. The Captain promis'd that we should want for nothing, and resolv'd to go ashore; so that we all plainly saw he was resolv'd to lose the Ship. But he was opposed by the Mate Christopher Langman, who wrought the Vessel through between the Main and an Island, and she arriv'd safely at Killybags in Ireland that same night.

We took in the rest of our Lading there the 25th of September, being 30 Tons of Butter, and above 300 Cheeses, and sail'd for Boston in New-England; which we were very uncapable to do, because the Captain, by his barbarous Treatment of our Men, had disabled several of 'em, and particularly two of our best Sailors were so unmercifully beat by him, because they oppos'd his Design abovemention'd, that they were not able to work in a Month. This gave us a very melancholy Prospect of an unfortunate Voyage, since we perceiv'd he would either lose the Ship, or betray her to the French, because she was insured for much above the Value. Besides, he put us to short Allowance, so that we had but one Quart of Water per Head in twenty four Hours, and had nothing to eat but salt Beef, which made us so dry that we were forc'd to drink the Rain Water that run off the Deck. And the Captain was so barbarous that he knock'd down one of our Men for dead, because when he found the Hold open, he went and drew a Gallon of Water to quench our Thirst. In the mean time he wanted nothing himself, tho' he pretended to us that he confin'd himself also to short Allowance, yet we knew the contrary.

When we came to the Banks of Newfoundland we saw a Ship which made all the Sail she could towards us, and soon came up with us. The Captain and Mr. Whitworth hoping she was a Frenchman, put on their best Apparel, and gave us as much strong Beer and Brandy as we could drink: But it prov'd to be the Pompey Galley of London, Captain Den Commander, at which we rejoic'd, tho' our Captain was melancholy. We continu'd our Course towards New England; and the first Land we made was Cape Sables, which is about 50 Leagues from Boston in that Country.

We made the best of our way for that Port, but the Wind blew hard, so that we were several Days without sight of Land, and were forced to hand all our Sails, and lie under our Mizzen-Ballast till Daylight; when the Boatswain having the Morning Watch discover'd Land to the Leeward, with which he acquainted the Captain and the Mate, who both came upon Deck. The Captain said that was the first Land we had made, wherein he was justly contradicted by the Mate, which caus'd some Words between 'em: For in Truth we made Cape Sables a Week before; and if we had kept our Course then, according to the Opinion of the Mate and Ship's Company, we had, in all Probability, arriv'd safe the next Day at Boston, but the Master laying the Ship by, and the next Day proving moderate Weather, and the Wind coming to the West, we stood away to the North, and so it was a Week before we made Cape Porpus, which was the same Day we were lost; so untrue is it what the Captain says, that the first Land we made was to the East of Piscataqua. After those Words had pass'd with the Mate, the Captain went down to serve us with Water, according to Custom, and in the mean time the Captain's Brother took a Bottle of Water from the Mate, and struck him; upon which the Captain coming out of the Hold, he took up a Perriwig Block, with which he came behind the Mate, and struck him three Blows on the Head, upon which he fell down and lay as dead for several Minutes, all in Blood. This was very discouraging to the Seamen, who durst not speak to him for fear of the like Treatment. Soon after this barbarous Action we perceiv'd the Ship in Danger by being so near Land; upon which the Boatswain being on the Watch call'd the Captain, and the Mate, who being scarce recovered came on the Deck all in Gore, and told the Captain he had no Business so near the Land, except he had a Mind to lose the Ship, and therefore desir'd him to hawl further off, or else he would be ashore that Night. The Captain answer'd, That he wou'd not take his Advice though the Ship should go to the Bottom, threatned to shoot the Mate with a Pistol, and told him, he would do what he pleas'd except they confin'd him to his Cabbin. It fell out according as the Mate had said; we run ashoar that Night, being the 11th of December, between 8 and 9 a Clock, when the Ship struck upon Boon Island, a Rock three or four Leagues East from Piscataqua. And here the Captain is false again in his Narrative, when he says p. 2. that he saw the Breakers ahead, upon which he call'd out to put the Helm hard on the Starboard; for he was then undressing himself to go to Bed, according to his usual Custom. When the Ship struck, the Boatswain told the Captain, he had made his Words good, and lost the Ship on purpose, whereas had he taken the Mate's Advice, he might in all probability have been safe at Boston Ten Days before. The Captain bid him hold his Peace, He was sorry for what had happen'd, but we must now all prepare for Death, there being no Probability to escape it. Upon this several of our Men went on the Deck, but cou'd not stay there, because the Sea broke in all over the Ship. Then the Captain, who had been Cursing and Swearing before, began to cry and howl for Fear of losing his Life. The Boatswain and another went into the Hold to see if there was any Water there, and finding there was, we went all into the Cabbin to Prayers, being in hopes the Ship would lie whole till Daylight. Soon after this the Mate, though hardly able, went with some others above Deck; for this Surprize made him forget his Pain. He spoke to the Captain, and told him, It was his Business to encourage the Men, and not to dishearten them: Yet still he insisted it was impossible for us to save our Lives. However, the Mate with three others cut down the Main-Mast and Fore-Mast, which by God's Assistance prov'd the Means of our Preservation; for the Fore-Mast fell on the Rock with one End, and the other rested on the Ship. The Mate went afterwards into the Cabbin, and desired the Captain to use his Endeavours to save the Men, for the Ship would immediately sink, and it was not time to think of saving any thing, but to get ashore as light as we cou'd. By this Time the Water came out of the Hold, and the Sea beat over the Deck, so that there was no standing upon it. The Mate got first on the Mast, and with great Difficulty escap'd to the Rock. He was follow'd by two others, who likewise got on Shore, but were scarce able to stand on the Rock, from whence they hallow'd to us to follow them, and we not hearing them any more than once, were afraid they were wash'd off by the Waves. This put us into a mighty Consternation, so that we knew not whether it were best to follow them, or to stay on board till it was Day. The Captain was for the latter; but it being dead low Water, the Tide of Flood coming on, and the Wind beginning to blow hard, the Sea beat into the Cabbin while we were at Prayers, which forced us to go upon Deck: Some more of our Men escap'd to the Shore by help of the Mast, as the others had done, and call'd to us to make haste and follow them, which we did, and by the Blessing of God got safe to the Rock, though not without much Danger, being forced to crawl upon our Hands and Knees we were so heavy with Water, and the Rock so slippery.

Here again the Captain is false in the second Page of his Narrative; for he neither call'd us down to Prayers, nor order'd us up again, nor did he either command or assist at cutting down the Mast. We know not whom he points at, where he says, several of the Company did so sink under Racks of Conscience, that they were not able to stir; for he himself had as great Reason to be under Terror of Conscience as any Man, since he was the Cause of all our Misfortunes. Accordingly he cryed heartily, and begg'd the Mate to do what he cou'd to save us, for he himself cou'd do nothing. Nor was the Captain ever upon the Deck but once, when he held by the Long-Boat, cryed out, and presently went down again, which greatly discouraged us, so that had it not been for the Mate, &c. who cut down the Shrowds, &c. as abovemention'd, we had all perish'd. He is also unjust to the Mate in his third Page, where he says, That one of the Men went out on the Boltsprit, and returning, told the Captain he saw something black ahead, and would adventure to get on Shore, accompanied with any other Person; upon which the Captain pretends he desired some of his best Swimmers, the Mate and one more, to go with him, and if they recover'd the Rock, to give Notice by their Calls, and direct the rest to the most secure Place; for it was the Mate who went on the Boltsprit and discover'd the Land. After which he desired the Captain and the rest to go ashore before he attempted it himself; but finding them all dead-hearted, the Mate, who cou'd not swim, as the Captain alledges, got on Shore by the Mast as abovemention'd. The Captain is also false in asserting that he attempted to save his Money, Brandy, Ammunition, &c. for our Relief, since he had not the Value of one Guinea aboard in Money. It is equally false that he tore his Arms and Fingers in such a lamentable manner in climbing up the Rock; for not one Man was hurt in getting ashore. Nor was the Captain in danger of being wash'd off from the Yard, the Water there being no deeper than our Middle.

When we got ashore we found it to be a desolate small Island, without any Shelter; and being wet, and having but few Clothes, some began to despair of being able to live there till the Morning; and besides, we were not certain but it might be over flow'd at high Tide. We comforted our selves however, the best we cou'd, and though we expected to perish there, return'd God Thanks for giving us some more Time to repent. In this dismal Condition we continued till next Morning, without any thing to refresh us: But being in hopes that the Wreck would remain till Daylight, and that we might recover some of our Provisions, we sent a Man down to see what was become of her, but he brought us Word that he cou'd see nothing of her. When Daylight came we went to look for the Wreck in a cold and hungry Condition; but found nothing except one half Cheese, entangled in a Piece of a Rope, and this we equally distributed among us. Soon after we found a Piece of fine Linnen and Canvas, of which we endeavour'd to make a Tent, and effected it at last by the help of the Boatswain the second Day, and this preserv'd us from being all frozen to Death, as our Cook was in a little Time to our very great Grief, since we look'd upon it as a certain Presage that we should all have the same Fate. We carried the Corpse to the Seaside, from whence it was soon wash'd off by the Flood. Here the Captain publishes another Falshood in his fifth Page, when he says he knew where he was; for he declared to us that he knew not: Nor is there any more Truth in the Compassion he there alledges that he shew'd to the Cook when he was a dying.

When the Weather clear'd we discover'd the main Land, which we suppos'd to be about a League from us. This fill'd us with Hopes that by the Providence of God we should soon be deliver'd, for which we return'd him Thanks, and immediately set about building a Boat out of part of the Wreck which was drove ashore, and heartily pray'd, that God would give us Success. We were so cold, hungry and feeble, that it was scarce possible for us to do any thing, nor could we walk on the Rock in order to keep us warm, it was so craggy, uneven and slippery. We made shift however to finish our Boat, the Bottom of which was made of Three Planks, and the Side was Half a Plank High. We cork'd and lin'd it with Canvas the best we could, and made it about Twelve Foot Long and Four Foot Wide, thinking it sufficient to hold Six of us.

After this some Controversie happen'd who the Six should be. The Carpenter pleaded his Right to be one, because he built it; the Captain pleaded to be another, which was agreed to; and the Boatswain was thought fit to be one, because he spoke the Indian Language; but at last it was concluded that the Mate, the Captain's Brother, Charles Whitworth, and George White, should be the Men; and we carried the Boat to the Shore, where we launch'd her, putting on Board such of the Carpenter's Tools as we had sav'd from the Wreck, in order to build a better when we came on Shore. We begg'd the Assistance and Direction of God, and some of our Company went into the Boat, taking leave of the rest, and promising to bring them Relief as soon as possible. But the Boat overset, by which our Men were almost drown'd, and narrowly escaped again to the Rock. The Boatswain held the Boat almost an Hour with a Rope in hopes to save her till the Weather grew more calm, and the Gunner came to his Assistance, but soon after she was stav'd to pieces, which was a great Mortification to us. We thank'd God however that he was pleas'd again to preserve so many of us, tho' the Time for our Relief was not yet come. The Captain is out in his Account, pag. 7. when he says, our Boat had a Mast and a Sail, for she had neither.