This evening, boys, I am going to tell you of the loss of the Doddington, which was wrecked on a barren, uninhabited rock, when nearly two hundred persons lost their lives.
The Doddington sailed from the Downs, April 23d, 1755, in company with four others of the East India Company's ships. On the 20th of May, they made Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verd Islands, and on the 21st got into Port Prior Bay, for the purpose of taking in a supply of fresh water. On the 27th, she proceeded on her voyage, in company with three of the vessels with which she had at first set out, leaving the other, which had not yet completed her refitment, in the roads. They continued together until the following day, when the Captain, thinking that their course was too easterly, ordered the Doddington to be kept south; and after a fine run of seven weeks, she made the land of the Cape of Good Hope.
On the 5th of July, they took their departure from Cape Needles, and the vessel having steered eastward about twenty-four hours, the Captain ordered her to be kept E. N. E. In this course she continued till about a quarter before one on the morning of Thursday the 17th of July, when she struck.
The officer whose journal furnishes materials for the following narrative, was, at the time of the accident, asleep in his cabin; but being suddenly awakened by the shock, he started up in the utmost consternation, and hurried upon deck. He found the sea rolling over the ship with the utmost violence, and sweeping the men overboard, while the beating of the surge upon the vessel threatened, every instant, to dash her in pieces. On reaching the larboard side of the deck, which lay highest out of the water, he encountered the Captain, who told him in a very little time they must all perish; in a few minutes a sea parted them, and he saw him no more. He managed, by dint of great exertion, to get back to the quarter-deck, though he was much bruised and had the small bone of his left arm broken; the other portion of the ship was, in the meantime, overwhelmed by the waves and completely shattered in pieces.
In this dreadful situation, when every minute he expected would be the last of all who still clung to the wreck, he heard the welcome cry of "Land!" and looked eagerly about him; but though he saw something which he supposed had been taken for land, he believed that it was only the bursting of the surge on the other side of the breakers. At this instant, the sea broke over him with such fury, that it not only forced him from his hold, but such was the violence of the blow, that he was stunned, and lay insensible till after daylight. On recovering, he found himself fixed to a plank by a nail that had been forced into his shoulder. Besides the pain of his wound, and the many bruises which he had sustained, he was so benumbed with cold that he could scarcely move. He now observed that several of the crew had got on the rocks which were near, and called out to them as loud as he could; but they were not able to give him any assistance, so that a considerable time elapsed before he was able to disengage himself from the wreck and get on shore.
On reaching the rock, he found twenty-three of his companions, which were all that had been able to save themselves out of two hundred and twenty individuals that were on board when the ship struck. Their first care was to search among the things that had been thrown on the rocks from the wreck, for something to cover them from the weather, and in this they succeeded almost beyond their expectations; but the attainment of fire was not so easily accomplished. Some of them made an unsuccessful attempt to kindle two pieces of wood by rubbing them together, while others diligently searched the rocks in anxious endeavors to find a substitute for flint and steel. After some time they found a box containing a couple of gun-flints and a broken file, which was a most joyful acquisition, though they still wanted tinder. After a further search, they discovered a cask of gunpowder, which, to their great disappointment, proved to be wet; but, on a more narrow inspection, they found a small quantity at the bottom that had suffered no damage. Some of this bruised on a linen rag, served their purpose very well.
Having at length succeeded in lighting a fire, the bruised and wounded collected round it, while the others went in search of further necessaries. A box of wax candles and a case of brandy were the first brought in, and soon afterwards another party returned, stating that they had discovered a cask almost full of fresh water, which was of greater consequence than the spirits, as there was no fresh water to be found on the island. They could also see at some distance several casks of water, flour, and beer; but it was not possible to get at them over the rocks.
It now became necessary to provide some shelter for the approaching night; all hands were therefore employed in making a tent of some canvass that had been cast ashore; but the quantity was so small that the tent would not hold them all, and for fear of being overflowed, they were obliged to erect it on the highest part of the island. Here they were so much exposed to the storm that their frail encampment was in danger of being blown away; their fire was scattered, and before they could collect the embers the rain extinguished them. On renewing their search in the morning, they found, to their great mortification, that all the casks which they had seen the preceding night, with the exception of one of flour and another of beer, had been staved against the rocks. These, however, they secured; but the tide flowing up soon after, interrupted their proceedings. As, in their desolate and forlorn situation, their thoughts naturally hurried from one subject to another in quest of some source of comfort, it was suggested by one of them that, as the carpenter was among them, he might build a vessel to carry them to a port of safety, provided they could obtain some tools and materials. The attention of every one was immediately directed towards the carpenter, who declared his belief that if tools and materials could be found, he should be able to build a bark; and though at that time there was no prospect of procuring either, yet no sooner had they thought their deliverance but one remove beyond total impossibility, than they seemed to think it neither impossible nor difficult. The boat engrossed their whole conversation, and they not only debated on her size and rigging, but to what port they should steer when she was fairly afloat. Some of them immediately dispersed in search of materials for their projected vessel, but they did not succeed in finding any. On the following day, however, they secured four butts of water, one cask of flour, one hogshead of brandy, and a small boat, which had been thrown up by the tide in a shattered condition; but no tools were found, with the exception of a scraper. Next day they had the good fortune to discover a box containing files, gimlets, sail-needles, and an azimuth compass-card; they also found two quadrants, a carpenter's adze, a chisel, three sword-blades, and a chest of treasure.
On Monday, the 20th of July, they recovered some more provisions, and also some timber-plank, canvass, and cordage, which they joyfully secured for their projected vessel, though still in want of many implements indispensable for the carpenter to proceed with his work. It happened, however, that one of the seamen, Hendrick Scanty, a native of Sweden, who had originally been a smith by profession, having picked up an old pair of bellows, told his companions that, by the aid of a forge, which they could build by his directions, he could furnish the carpenter with all necessary tools as well as nails, as plenty of iron could be obtained by burning it out of pieces of the wreck driven ashore. He began immediately to mend the bellows, and the three following days were occupied in building a tent and forge, and in collecting timber for the use of the carpenter, who was also employed in preparing the few tools already in his possession, that the boat might be begun as soon as possible.