The following Letter is yet more Particular and Authentick, and being better exprest, may further describe the Terror of the Night in this place.
SIR,
I understand you are a Person concerned in making up a Collection of some remarkable accidents that happened by the Violence of the late dreadful Storm. I here present you with one of the like. I presume you never heard before, nor hope may never hear again of a Ship that was blown from her Anchors out of Helford Haven to the Isle of Wight, in less than eight hours, viz. The Ship lay in Helford Haven about two Leagues and a half Westward of Falmouth, being laden with Tin, which was taken on Board from Guague Wharf, about five or six miles up Helford River, the Commanders name was Anthony Jenkins, who lives at Falmouth. About eight Clock in the Evening before the Storm begun, the said Commander and Mate came on Board and ordered the Crew that he left on Board, which was but one Man and 2 Boys; that if the Wind should chance to blow hard (which he had some apprehension of) to carry out the small Bower Anchor, and moor the Ship by 2 Anchors, and gave them some other orders, and his Mate and he went ashoar, and left the Crew aforesaid on Board; about nine a Clock the Wind began to blow, then they carried out the small Bower (as directed) it continued blowing harder and harder at West North West, at last the Ship began to drive, then they were forced to let go the best Bower Anchor which brought the Ship up. The Storm increasing more, they let go the Kedge Anchor, which was all they had to let go, so that the Ship rid with four Anchors a head: Between eleven and twelve a Clock the Wind came about West and by South in a most Terrible and Violent manner, that notwithstanding a very high Hill just to Windward of the Ship, and four Anchors ahead, she was drove from all her Anchors; and about twelve a Clock drove out of the Harbour without Anchor or Cable, nor so much as a Boat left in case they could put into any Harbour. In dreadful condition the Ship drove out clear of the Rocks to Sea, where the Man with the two Boys consulted what to do, at last resolved to keep her far enough to Sea, for fear of Deadman's Head, being a point of Land between Falmouth and Plimouth, the latter of which places they designed to run her in, if possible, to save their Lives; the next morning in this frighted condition they steer'd her clear of the Land (to the best of their skill) sometimes almost under Water, and sometimes a top, with only the bonet of her Foresail out, and the Fore yard almost lower'd to the Deck; but instead of getting into Plymouth next day as intended, they were far enough off that Port, for the next morning they saw Land, which proved to be Peverel Point, a little to the Westward of the Isle of Wight; so that they were in a worse Consternation then before, for over-running their designed Port by seven a Clock, they found themselves off the Isle of Wight; where they consulted again what to do to save their Lives, one of the Boys was for running her into the Downs, but that was objected against, by reason they had no Anchors nor Boat, and the Storm blowing off shore in the Downs, they should be blown on the unfortunate Goodwin Sands and lost. Now comes the last consultation for their lives, there was one of the Boys said he had been in a certain Creek in the Isle of Wight, where between the Rocks he believed there was room enough to run the Ship in and save their Lives, and desired to have the Helm from the Man, and he would venture to steer the Ship into the said place, which he according did, where there was only just room between Rock and Rock for the Ship to come in, where she gave one blow or two against the Rocks, and sunk immediately, but the Man and two Boys jumpt ashore, and all the Lading being Tin was saved, (and for their Conduct and Risk they run) they were all very well gratified, and the Merchants well satisfied.
Your Friend and Servant,
R.P.May 28. 1704.
And here I cannot omit that great Notice has been taken of the Towns-people of Deal who are blam'd, and I doubt not with too much Reason for their great Barbarity in neglecting to save the Lives of abundance of poor Wretches; who having hung upon the Masts and Rigging of the Ships, or floated upon the broken Pieces of Wrecks, had gotten a Shore upon the Goodwin Sands when the Tide was out.
It was, without doubt, a sad Spectacle to behold the poor Seamen walking too and fro upon the Sands, to view their Postures, and the Signals they made for help, which, by the Assistance of Glasses was easily seen from the Shore.
Here they had a few Hours Reprieve, but had neither present Refreshment, nor any hopes of Life, for they were sure to be all wash'd into another World at the Reflux of the Tide. Some Boats are said to come very near them in quest of Booty, and in search of Plunder, and to carry off what they could get, but no Body concern'd themselves for the Lives of these miserable Creatures.
And yet I cannot but incert what I have receiv'd from very good Hands in behalf of one Person in that Town, whose Humanity deserves this remembrance, and I am glad of the Opportunity of doing some Justice in this Case to a Man of so much Charity in a Town of so little.
Mr. Thomas Powell, of Deal, a Slop-Seller by Trade, and at that time Mayor of the Town. The Character of his Person I need not dwell upon here, other than the ensuing Accounts will describe, for when I have said he is a Man of Charity and Courage, there is little I need to add to it, to move the Reader to value both his Person, and his Memory; and tho' I am otherwise a perfect Stranger to him, I am very well pleased to transmit to Posterity the Account of his Behaviour, as an Example to all good Christians to imitate on the like Occasions.
He found himself mov'd with Compasion at the Distresses of the poor Creatures, whom he saw as aforesaid in that miserable Condition upon the Sands, and the first Thing he did, he made Application to the Custom-House Officers for the Assistance of their Boats and Men, to save the Lives of as many as they could come at, the Custom House Men rudely refus'd, either to send their Men, or to part with their Boats.
Provoked with the unnatural Carriage of the Custom House Officers, he calls the People about him; and finding some of the Common People began to be more than ordinarily affected with the Distresses of their Countrymen, and as he thought a little enclin'd to venture; he made a general Offer to all that would venture out, that he would pay them out of his own Pocket 5s. per head for all the Men whose Lives they could save, upon this Proposal several offered themselves to go, if he would furnish 'em with Boats.
Finding the main Point clear, and that he had brought the Men to be willing, he with their Assistance took away the Custom House Boats by Force; and tho' he knew he could not justify it, and might be brought into Trouble for it, and particularly if it were lost, might be oblig'd to pay for it, yet he resolv'd to venture that, rather than hazard the loss of his Design, for the saving so many poor Men's Lives, and having Mann'd their Boat with a Crew of stout honest Fellows, he with them took away several other Boats from other Persons, who made use of them only to Plunder and Rob, not regarding the Distresses of the poor Men.