e tide went very forcibly at the entrance. (M324) By that
time our Admirals boat was halled ashore, and most of our things taken out
to dry, Captaine Spicer came to the entrance of the breach, with his mast
standing vp, and was halfe passed ouer, but by the rash and vndiscreet
styrage of Ralph Skinner his Masters mate, a very dangerous sea brake into
their boate and ouerset them quite, the men kept the boat some in it, and
some hanging on it, but the next sea set the boat on ground, where it beat
so, that some of them were forced to let goe their hold, hoping to wade
ashore: but the Sea still beat them downe, so that they could neither
stand nor swimme, and the boat twise or thrice was turned the keele
vpward, whereon Captaine Spicer and Skinner hung vntill they sunke, and
were seene no more. But foure that could swimme a little kept themselues
in deeper water and were saued by Captaine Cookes meanes, who so soone as
he saw their ouersetting, stripped himselfe, and four other that could
swimme very well, and with all haste possible rowed vnto them, and saued
foure. There were 11 in all and 7 of the chiefest were drowned, whose
names were Edward Spicer, Ralph Skinner, Edward Kelly, Thomas Beuis, Hance
the Surgion, Edward Kelborne, Robert Coleman. This mischance did so much
discomfort the saylers, that they were all of one mind not to goe any
further to seeke the planters. But in the end by the commandement and
perswasion of me and Captaine Cooke, they prepared the boates: and seeing
the Captaine and me so resolute, they seemed much more willing. Our boates
and all things fitted againe, we put off from Hatorask, being the number
of 19 persons in both boates: but before we could get to the place where
our planters were left, it was so exceeding darke, that we overshot the
place a quarter of a mile: there we espied towards the North ende of the
Island the light of a great fire thorow the woods, to which we presently
rowed: when wee came right ouer against it, we let fall our Grapnel neere
the shore and sounded with a trumpet a Call, and afterwardes many familiar
English tunes and Songs, and called to them friendly; but we had no
answere, we therefore landed at day-breake, and comming to the fire, we
found the grasse and sundry rotten trees burning about the place. From
hence we went thorow the woods to that part of the Island directly ouer
aguinst Dasamongwepeuk, and from thence we returned by the water side,
round about the N