“On the evening of this day we reached Recty, a small horse farm, situated on the eastern side of a Lake, about seven miles from Cape Lagullos, a wretched hovel in a most dilapidated state, and bearing evident marks of the absence of its master. From the failure of the grass already alluded to, but few horses are used here. We passed the night with as much comfort as the means offered us would admit of; but to travellers of cheerful disposition, good health and appetite, with wagons so provided, as to set scarcity at defiance, we did not suffer much; there was during the night a severe storm of thunder and lightning.

“On the following day we set out for Cape Lagullos, but found the Boor who conducted us, entirely mistaken as to the point they called the Cape; upon reaching it, another was seen bearing S.W. by W. from it, consequently further to the southward; and having got to this point, another appeared, at the distance of five or six miles, bearing W.S.W., which was probably the real Cape. The wrecks of many vessels were lying on the part of the shore we visited, which had been lost in the course of the preceding thirty years. One of the ships lost here a few years before, had a cargo of slaves, who having gained their liberty, marched up the country in a body, but they were too dangerous at liberty, and too useful in bondage, to be allowed to enjoy their freedom any length of time. An old woman then living in the house now occupied by Mr. Odendal’s, took great credit to herself, for having defended it against these invaders, and for being the cause of their being finally secured.

“At four p.m. on the 2nd, we continued our journey, crossing the Carse River, on our way to Morkels, a farm on the River, called a horse farm: there is another near it, but both evincing at this period a want of capital. Morkels is a valuable property, a good dwelling house, spacious out-buildings, capacious stables and barns, but in a ruinous state for want of repair, the water here is excessively brackish, so much so, as to be scarcely drinkable to an European.

“We met here at dinner with young Schwartz, the person who first discovered the wreck of the unfortunate Arniston, a large East Indiaman, which was lost upon Cape Lagullos in June, 1815. He gave us a very interesting and most affecting account of the awful scene, which came suddenly before him as he rode down to the beach. The shore was covered with wreck of every description, masts, sails, timber, and planks, hove high upon the beach, which was strewed with dead bodies. The fatal event had taken place some days, as he learnt from the survivors. Six men whom he found in a small cavern on the coast, impressed with the idea that the ship had passed the Cape of Good Hope, and that she had been wrecked to the westward of it, had walked along the beach for two days, expecting every moment to see the Table Mountain, but at the end of that time were stopped by the Bride River, which convinced them of their error, and they had to retrace their steps to the wreck, which they reached at the end of the fourth day, worn out with fatigue and hunger, having only subsisted upon the shell fish they found on the coast. Their first object was to bury as many of their dead as they could, during the two days previously to their being discovered by Mr. Schwartz; they pointed out to him particularly the spot in which they had laid the four children of Colonel Giels, of the 72nd Regiment, who had been sent home as passengers in the Arniston, under the care of Lord and Lady Molesworth, who also perished in her. These poor fellows had evidently taken a very deep interest in the fate of these children, as it was the only grave which they distinctly marked. They had of course procured some salt provisions from the wreck, which had been washed ashore, but every thing else was spoiled by the salt water. They were also enabled to clothe themselves from the raiment of their unfortunate shipmates. They were afterwards most hospitably and kindly treated by the farmer, and having been sent to the nearest Magistrate, gave the deposition of which the following is a copy, and which was forwarded to the Commissioner of His Majesty’s Dock Yard, a few days afterwards.

“‘A narrative from the surviving crew, relating to the loss of the Arniston, Transport, wrecked near Cape Lagullos, on the evening of the 30th of May, 1815.

“‘Charles Stewart Scott, late carpenter’s mate of the Arniston, Transport, and others, assert to the best of their knowledge, that she sailed from Point de Galle on or about the 4th of April, under convoy of H.M.S. Africaine, and the Victor Brig, with six Indiamen. About the 26th of May parted company from the convoy, owing to stress of weather, having blown away most of her sails; other sails were then bent, but the weather continued very squally, with a heavy sea. On the 29th, about seven a.m. the land was discovered right ahead, bearing about N. by W. a long distance off, the wind then S.S.E. about half-past four p.m. still blowing very strong, hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, under a close reefed maintopsail, and stood on till half-past two a.m. on the 30th; then supposing the land seen was near Table bay, the hands were turned up, bore up steering N.W. and set the foresail, intending to run for St. Helena; continued on till 10 a.m. when the land was again discovered nearly ahead, turned the hands up, and hauled the ship close to the wind on the larboard tack, still blowing very hard, made all sail, having topsails and courses set, stood on till near noon, when breakers were discovered on the lee-bow, wore ship and hauled to the wind on the other tack; stood on till 2 p.m. then wore, and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, continuing on till near 4 o’clock, when breakers were seen, called Lagullos Reef, which we could not weather on either tack, being completely embayed; clewed up the sails and cut away three anchors, the two bower cables parted shortly after, when Lieutenant Brice, agent for transports, recommended the captain to cut the sheet cable, and run the ship on shore, as the only chance of saving the people’s lives. The cable was then cut, and the ship put before the wind, in about eight minutes after she struck forward, the ship heeling to windward; cut away the guns in order to heel her the other way, but which could not be effected, and she soon began to break up. About eight o’clock the masts went, and the ship in a very short time was quite in pieces; many people were drowned below in consequence of her heeling to windward, and others clung to the wreck, endeavouring to reach the shore about half a mile distant. Out of the whole crew, consisting of near 350 persons, only six men reached the shore with great difficulty upon planks, being much bruised by the wreck and surf, which was very high. At daylight the next morning the stern post was the only part of the ship to be seen, the beach was covered with wreck, stores, &c. and a number of dead bodies, which were buried by the survivors. Amongst these were Lord and Lady Molesworth, the agent, the captain, and some children. On the next day, the 1st of June, considering ourselves to the westward of Cape Point, it was agreed to coast the beach to the eastward, which we continued to do for four days and a half, subsisting on shell fish from off the rocks, but fearing we had taken a wrong direction, we returned to the wreck, and accomplished it in three days and a half, where we remained six days subsisting chiefly on a cask of oatmeal, which had been driven on shore; by drying it in the sun, we experienced great relief. The pinnace having been driven on shore bilged, we proposed to repair it in the best manner circumstances would allow, and coast along shore. At that time, the 14th of June, being at work on the boat, we were fortunately discovered by a farmer’s son, John Schwartz, who was out shooting, and humanely carried by him to his father’s house, where we remained with every comfort he could afford us for a week, and then set off for Cape town, where we arrived on Monday evening, the 26th of June.

“‘Before we left the country we were informed that three hundred and thirty-one bodies thrown on shore, had been interred near the beach.

“‘Signed,

“‘CHARLES STEWART SCOTT, and party.’

“This declaration was made before me this day at Cape Town, the 27th day of June, 1815, of which this is a copy.