len his Majesty's ship St. George,
bearing my flag. I have already detailed to you, sir, the gale
of the 1st instant, which caused the merchant ships to return
to Matvick for shelter, and transmitted you convoy lists of one
hundred and twenty sail, which sailed from Hano Bay with us on
the 9th instant, besides twelve more which had no instructions.

On the evening of the 10th we had severe weather, and anchored
between Moen Island and Dars Head. On the morning of the 12th
we weighed, and (the wind heading us before dark) anchored off
Nystad with the convoy pretty well collected. At the close of
the evening of the 15th, the weather was remarkably fine, but
about ten at night it began to blow strong with a heavy, swell
from W.S.W., and we veered to a cable and half on the small
bower. The gale increasing, we veered to two cables, and should
probably have rode the gale out safe had not a large ship of
the convoy drove athwart hawse and parted our cable. The best
bower was immediately let go, and veered to two cables, which
did not check her. We then let go the sheet anchor and gave her
two cables on that also, but she would not look at it. By this
time we had shoaled our water from ten to eight fathoms, and
the fury of the gale increasing, we continued to shoal into
seven and six fathoms, when the pilots and officers advised the
cutting away the masts as the only means of saving the ship and
the lives of the people. I resisted their advice for some
time, in hopes that a favourable lull might bring the ship up;
but when she had drifted into a quarterless five, and still
driving before a tempest of wind and rain, I ordered the axe to
be laid to the mast, and soon after they were over the side:
the ship struck violently several times, and the rudder was
torn away with a tremendous crash. About four in the morning
the strength of the gale abated, and her shocks were less
violent. Every officer and man in the ship were now employed
erecting jury-masts, hoping that by lightening her we should be
able to float her off; and at daylight I telegraphed Captain
Pater of the Cressy to prepare us a Pakenham rudder; and it
still blowing too strong for boats to come to us, I made
signals for the Rose and Bellete to anchor a cable's length
from us and from