k and another man
had, just before they left the wreck, snatched up a couple of muskets.
They had both once been cast away among savages when they had felt the
want of arms to defend themselves. The first faint streaks of daylight
were appearing in the sky when the Englishmen found themselves assembled
on the top of the rock. No sooner did the Spaniards ascertain where
they had got, than they made a rush to follow; their officers and men
indiscriminately crowding over, shoving each other aside, and all trying
to be first. The consequence was that numbers were washed away and
drowned. Hemming's first care was to ascertain the condition of his own
people. None were much hurt. The two sick men had been brought over in
their blankets. These were spread out in the air, where they quickly
dried, and the poor fellows were then wrapped up in them again and
placed in the most sheltered spot on the top of the rock. In the
meantime the afterpart of the brig had gone to pieces, and the foot of
the rock was strewn with a vast number of things sent up by the waves.
Among them, unfortunately, was a cask of spirits which had come out of
the hold. The Spanish seamen quickly discovered it, and in spite of all
their captain and officers could do, they insisted on broaching it.
Often British seamen have done the same, but there have been numerous
instances where, without uttering a word of complaint, a crew have seen
casks of spirits started by their officers that they might not have the
opportunity of getting drunk. At first the Spaniards were quiet enough,
till they produced some leathern cups and rapidly passed the liquor
round. The officers no longer attempted to exert any control, and some
even sat down and drank with the men. How desolate was the scene on
every side of the barren rock on which the Englishmen stood! Below them
were groups of men, many of them already half drunk, sitting round the
cask of liquor only just above the wash of the sea. The shore was
strewn with fragments of the wreck, with casks, chests, furniture, sails
and rigging, and with mangled bodies, many of whom might probably have
been saved had their comrades exerted themselves. On the small rock a
few wretches were still collected, the sea every instant breaking over
them. Now one and now another would be washed away, while scarcely one
made an attempt to save himself. The bow of the brig still held
together. On it were collected some dozen men