About 11 o’clock, the writer, with some difficulty, got out of bed, but in attempting to dress, he was thrown twice upon the floor, at the opposite side of the cabin. In an undressed state, he made shift to get about half way up the companion-stairs, with an intention to observe the state of the sea and of the ship upon deck, but he no sooner looked over the companion, than a heavy sea struck the vessel, which fell on the quarter-deck, and rushed down stairs into the officers’ cabin, in so considerable a quantity, that it was found necessary to lift one of the scuttles in the floor, to let the water into the limbers of the ship, as it dashed from side to side in such a manner, as to run into the lower tier of beds. Having been foiled in this attempt, and being completely wetted, he again, got below and went to bed. In this state of the weather the seamen had to move about the necessary or indispensable duties of the ship, with the most cautious use both of hands and feet, while it required all the art of the landsman to keep within the precincts of his bed. The writer even found himself so much tossed about, that it became necessary, in some measure, to shut himself in bed, in order to avoid being thrown into the floor. Indeed, such was the motion of the ship, that it seemed wholly impracticable to remain in any other than a lying posture. On deck the most stormy aspect presented itself; while below all was wet and comfortless.
About 2 o’clock P. M., a great alarm was given throughout the ship, from the effects of a very heavy sea which struck her, and almost filled the waist, pouring down into the births below, through every chink and crevice of the hatches and sky-lights. From the motion of the vessel being thus suddenly deadened or checked, and from the flowing in of the water above, it is believed there was not an individual on board who did not think, at the moment, that the vessel had foundered, and was in the act of sinking. The writer could withstand this no longer, and as soon as she again began to range to the sea, he determined to make another effort to get upon deck. In the first instance, however, he groped his way in darkness from his own cabin through the births of the officers, where all was quietness. He next entered the galley and other compartments occupied by the artificers: here also all was shut up in darkness, the fire having been drowned out in the early part of the gale: several of the artificers were employed in prayer, repeating psalms, and other devotional exercises in a full tone of voice: others protesting, that if they should fortunately get once more on shore, no one should ever see them afloat again. With the assistance of the landing-master, the writer made his way holding on step by step, among the numerous impediments which lay in the way. Such was the creaking noise of the bulk-heads or partitions, the dashing of the water, and the whistling noise of the winds, that it was hardly possible to break in upon such a confusion of sounds. In one or two instances, anxious and repeated inquiries were made by the artificers, as to the state of things upon deck, to which the Captain made the usual answer, that it could not blow long in this way, and that we must soon have better weather. The next birth in succession, moving forward in the ship, was that allotted for the seamen. Here the scene was considerably different. Having reached the middle of this darksome birth, without its inmates being aware of any intrusion, the writer had the consolation of remarking, that although they talked of bad weather, and the cross accidents of the sea, yet the conversation was carried on in that sort of tone and manner which bespoke an ease and composure of mind, highly creditable to them, and pleasing to him. The writer immediately accosted the seamen about the state of the ship. To these inquiries they replied, that the vessel being light, and having but little hold of the water, no top rigging, with excellent ground-tackle, and every thing being fresh and new, they felt perfect confidence in their situation.
It being impossible to open any of the hatches in the fore part of the ship, in communicating with the deck, the watch was changed by passing through the several births to the companion-stair leading to the quarter-deck. The writer, therefore, made the best of his way aft, and on a second attempt to look out, he succeeded, and saw indeed an astonishing sight. The seas, or waves, appeared to be ten or fifteen feet in height of unbroken water, and every approaching billow seemed as if it would overwhelm our vessel, but she continued to rise upon the waves, and to fall between the seas in a very wonderful manner. It seemed to be only those seas which caught her in the act of rising, which struck her with so much violence, and threw such quantities of water aft. On deck there was only one solitary individual looking out, to give the alarm, in the event of the ship breaking from her moorings. The seaman on watch continued only two hours; he who kept watch at this time, was a tall slender man of a black complexion; he had no great coat nor over-all of any kind, but was simply dressed in his ordinary jacket and trowsers: his hat was tied under his chin with a napkin, and he stood aft the foremast, to which he had lashed himself with a gasket or small rope round his waist, to prevent his falling upon deck, or being washed overboard. When the writer looked up, he appeared to smile, which afforded a farther symptom of the confidence of the crew in their ship. This person on the watch was as completely wetted as if he had been drawn through the sea, which was given as a reason for his not putting on a great coat, that he might wet as few of his clothes as possible, and have a dry shift when he went below. Upon deck, every thing that was moveable was out of sight, having either been stowed below, previous to the gale, or been washed overboard. Some trifling parts of the quarter boards were damaged by the breach of the sea; and one of the boats upon deck was about one-third full of water, the oyle-hole or drain having been accidentally stopped up,—and part of her gunwale had received considerable injury. These observations were hastily made, and not without occasionally shutting the companion, or covering up the stair-case, to avoid being wetted by the successive seas which broke over the bows, and fell upon different parts of the deck, according to the impetus with which the waves struck the vessel. By this time it was about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and the gale, which had now continued with unabated force for 27 hours, had not the least appearance of going off.
Consultation about the probable event of her breaking adrift.
In the dismal prospect of undergoing another night like the last, and being in imminent hazard of parting from our cable, the writer thought it necessary to advise with the master and officers of the ship as to the probable event of the vessel’s drifting from her moorings. They severally gave it as their opinion, that we had now every chance of riding out the gale, which, in all probability, could not continue with the same fury many hours longer; and that even if she should part from her anchor, the storm-sails had been laid to hand, and could be bent in a very short time. They further stated, that from the direction of the wind being NE., she would sail up the Firth of Forth to Leith Roads. But if this should appear doubtful, after passing the Island and Light of May, it might be advisable at once to steer for Tyningham Sands, on the western side of Dunbar, and there run the vessel ashore. If this should happen at the time of high-water, or during the ebbing of the tide, they were of opinion, from the flatness and strength of the floating-light, that no danger would attend her taking the ground, even with a very heavy sea. The writer seeing the confidence which these gentlemen possessed with regard to the situation of things, and their knowledge and ability, should the ship break adrift, found himself as much relieved with this conversation, as he had previously been with the seeming indifference of the forecastle-men, and the smile of the watch upon deck, though literally lashed to the foremast. From this time he felt himself almost perfectly at ease; at any rate he was entirely resigned to the ultimate result.
The gale takes off.
About 6 o’clock in the evening, the ship’s company was heard moving upon deck, which, on the present occasion, was rather the cause of alarm. The writer accordingly rung his bell to know what was the matter, when he was informed by the steward, that the weather looked considerably better, and that the men upon deck were endeavouring to ship the smoke-funnel of the galley, that the people might get some meat. This was a more favourable account than had been anticipated. During the last twenty-one hours he himself had not only had nothing to eat, but he had almost never passed a thought on the subject. Upon the mention of a change of weather, he sent the steward to learn how the artificers felt, and on his return he stated that they now seemed to be all very happy, since the cook had begun to light the galley-fire, and make preparations for the suet-pudding of Sunday, which was the only dish to be attempted for the mess, from the ease with which it could both be cooked and served up.
The principal change felt upon the ship, as the wind abated, was her increased rolling motion, but the pitching was much diminished, and now hardly any sea came farther aft than the foremast; but she rolled so extremely hard, as frequently to dip and take in water over the gunwales and rails in the waist, though, as before noticed, she was in light ballast trim. By 9 o’clock, all hands had been refreshed by the exertions of the cook and steward, and were happy in the prospect of the worst of the gale being over. The usual complement of men was also now set on watch, and more quietness was experienced throughout the ship. Although the previous night had been a very restless one, it had not the effect of inducing repose in the writer’s birth on the succeeding night, for having been so much tossed about in bed, during the last thirty hours, he found no easy spot to turn to, and his body was all sore to the touch, which ill accorded with the unyielding materials with which his bed-place was surrounded.
Monday, 7th.
Appearance of the sea upon the Bell Rock.