sure of the water on the lee
bow rather inclining her to luff; seeing which, I directed the
helm to be put down, hoping that I might luff and shake the wind
out of her sails, until the force of the squall should be spent.
The quartermaster at the helm had hardly time to obey this order,
before the brig was on her beam ends, and the water pouring into
every hatch and scuttle. Being now convinced that she must
speedily go down unless relieved, I ordered the masts to be cut
away. The officers and men, who, with few exceptions, had, by
this time, gained the weather bulwarks of the vessel, immediately
began to cut away the rigging. But as this was a forlorn hope,
the brig filling very fast, and her masts and yards lying flat
upon the surface of the sea, I placed no reliance whatever on
their efforts. A few moments more, and I was convinced that, in
spite of all our exertions, she must inevitably go down in a very
short time. I accordingly turned my attention to the saving of as
many lives as possible. The boats secured in the grips amidships,
and the starboard-quarter boat, were already several feet under
water, so that it was impossible to reach them, but we succeeded
in disengaging the larboard-quarter boat from her davits, a small
boat pulling five oars, and dropped her, fortunately, to leeward
of the brig to prevent her being thrown upon the vessel's side,
and crushed by the sea. I ordered Midshipman F. G. Clark to take
charge of this boat, and with the purser, surgeon, and seventeen
men, make for Verde Island, if possible, and after having landed
all but the boat's crew, to return and save others. It was now
blowing a strong gale, with a heavy sea running, and I deemed it
imprudent to trust more men in so small a boat. Besides, I was
anxious to shove her off, before the vessel should sink, lest
there might be a rush for her, and no life at all should be
saved. I cannot refrain from expressing, in this place, my
admiration of the noble conduct of several of the men embarked in
this boat, who implored the officers by name to take their (p. 302)
places, saying they would willingly die by the wreck, if the
officers would but save themselves. Of course, none of the
generous fellows were permitted to come out, and they were all
subsequently safely